This four-song release from Off With Their Heads drummer Justin Francis instantly takes me back to mid-’90s pop punk and emo. Bands like this hone the ability to write songs that truly rock and get you moving while they move you emotionally. It’s a talent I hold in high regard—to craft music that peppers nostalgia, hope, and fear through strong steady and fast rhythms. All the while, they layer beautifully melodic vocals over guitars that sing and wail. The lyrics are concise and are only slightly abstract, resulting in instant sparks of introspective feeling. Choruses of, “Spend our lives searching for the sunshine / tell me why I miss the rain,” seamlessly blend in with guitars that are a little rough around the edges. I don’t quite know what’s going on with the last song “We Are the Whale Watcher,” but it still fills me with motivation to stray from desolation. Perfect cuts for fans of bands like Leatherface, Jawbreaker, and Hot Water Music. It’s the kind of music that reminds me I’m still working a shitty job into my thirties, but sometimes you need the depressing crap in life to make the rad times shine brighter. This record is already on heavy rotation for me. Hats off, gents.
–Kayla Greet (A.D.D. / Rad Girlfriend)