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Review: Rathborne - Soft

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Been searching for an album that blends the nostalgia that is classic rock with the punk you grew up loving? Well, look no further than Luke Rathborne’s new album, Soft, a record encapsulating the young rocker’s potential. An eleven-song release, Soft is a hat-tip to the past and one that does so in good fashion.

Soft is an album that leaves behind the polished glamour seen in today’s music industry and opts to showcase a rawness that reminds one of DIY garage rock. Songs like “Low!” and “Last Forgiven” are the best examples of this, while hinting at some of Rathborne’s classic rock influences. Speaking of influences, Soft is a release that’ll have listeners reminiscing of such acts like The Black Keys, Elvis Costello, The Ramones and even Pixies with its unique blend of ambient and classic rock. 

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Review: Histories - Fri(ends) EP

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Fri(ends) is the second EP from Springfield, Missouri pop-punk four-piece Histories. The follow up to 2013’s I’m Still Doing Well, Fri(ends) might be short - it’s only three tracks long - but it features a maturity many bands spend years trying to find, and is a release every pop-punk fan needs on their iPod.

Fri(ends) begins with the catchy and personal “Not Really, But Okay”. With its melodic guitars, screaming vocals and incredibly personal lyrical content, the track is essentially an overview of what the rest of the EP has to offer. It’s quickly followed by “Think Of My When You Shave Your Legs”, a title that is reminiscent of Fall Out Boy circa Infinity On High. The song is arguably the release’s best showing, leaning toward the poppier side of the spectrum. “Turtle Dove” closes out the EP with your typical pop-punk sentiments, showcasing screaming vocals, hard-hitting drums and lyrics that’ll leave you hitting repeat over and over again.

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Review: Stick To Your Guns - Disobedient

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Stick To Your Guns have always been a bandto defy convention. Whether they’re writing about political opinions or are sticking to the brand of hardcore they know and love, the band have held their own throughout the years and have managed to achieve a career many long for. This year, they’re hoping to continue their upward trajectory with their explosive fifth studio album, Disobedient, and it’s one that doesn’t miss a beat.

You don’t even have to listen past the first track to know Disobedient is one of the year’s top releases. The politically charged album is one that features a growth and maturity that sees Stick To Your Guns widening their horizons and offering up something different. Lyrically, the record is filled with the most mature material of the band’s career. Tackling social issues and sampling the speeches of prominent public figures, the record manages to evoke a sense of empowerment in listeners, especially with tracks like “I Choose Nothing” and album opener “It Starts With Me”.

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Concert Review: Pierce The Veil & Sleeping With Sirens World Tour

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(Photography by Mackenzie Richmond)

Today’s the day, the long anticipated World Tour featuring PVRIS, UK natives Mallory Knox and, of course, tour headliners Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens, hits Seattle. This is a show fans from all around the state, and even neighboring ones, have been anxiously awaiting since its announcement months ago.

First up was female fronted PVRIS. The lights dimmed and the crowd cheered as the four members appeared onstage and the drums started. The set was packed full of songs from the band’s new album, White Noise, which has been heavily praised by fans. The highlight of the set was the band ending with their two most popular songs: “My House” and “St. Patrick”. The crowd sang along as PVRIS pumped them up, getting them ready for what was to come.

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Review: ROAM - Viewpoint EP

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On January 27th, ROAM released Viewpoint, their debut EP on Hopeless Records. While it’s a reasonably short release, featuring only four songs, it still demonstrates the great deal of potential the band possesses.

Kicking off the set is “Over Your Head”. This song is a great opener, being your classic pop-punk track with a great beat; lyrically and instrumentally, the song is very strong, particularly during the choruses. It displays all the elements of a good pop-punk track, even including a small breakdown at the end.

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Review: Bowling For Soup - Songs That People Actually Liked, Vol. 1

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Even as big and widely followed as it is today, pop-punk was even bigger, and considered one of the hottest genres, during the 2000’s. Bands like Bowling For Soup shaped the sound of the time and left behind an unforgettable legacy. After 20 years, the band has been through a lot; international tours and hits like “1985” brought the group well deserved fame. The release of Songs People Actually Liked, a nostalgic reflection on the band’s journey from 1994-2003, is a kind of last hurrah celebrating their successful career throughout the years.

The album opens (appropriately) with “Last Rock Show”. The track provides a short and sweet introduction to the rest of the album. Strong guitar and drums, a staple of pop-punk, are liberally used throughout the album, and listening to lead singer Jaret Reddick’s distinctive voice is like a throwback to the early 2000’s, the time of the band’s prime. Featuring fan favorites like “Girl All The Bad Guys Want”, Songs That People Actually Liked displays some of the group’s best tracks, accurately giving a sense of their style. The tempo gradually slows down (relatively, as slow as pop-punk can get) from “Suckerpunch” to “Sandwich”, as a buildup to the end of the record. Closing with “20 Years (That’s A Lot Of Beers)”, a mellower track reminiscent of the band’s memories together, the record ends on a bittersweet note that shows that Bowling For Soup have truly given their all until the end.

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Review: Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Balcony

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Edgy Welsh band Catfish and the Bottlemen are back at it with the release of their new album, The Balcony. The indie-rock group have produced an impressive record that is perfect to listen to at anytime of day, as background music or even a relaxing, yet invigorating escape from a dull routine.

The Balcony opens with the catchy beat of the track “Homesick", proving to be the perfect way to captivate any listener. The subtle rock vibes and indie sound throughout the album and the occasional slow track, like “Hourglass”, keep things interesting. The laid-back feel and unique vocals of lead singer Van McCan, especially apparent in “Sidewinder”, are enough to give a sort of nostalgic sense. The tune is such that it makes you feel accustomed to the music and familiar the first listen through, not too harsh but also not too vanilla.

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Review: All Time Low - Something’s Gotta Give (Single)

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All Time Low are a band who have been dominating the alternative music scene for over 10 years now, and as well as the recent announcement of their sixth studio album Future Hearts, the four-piece have premiered the lead single, entitled “Something’s Gotta Give”, on BBC Radio 1.

Initially, the song itself is rather basic, with a reasonably catchy beginning, simple instrument accompaniment and some nice vocal melodies from vocalist Alex Gaskarth. But while it isn’t as upbeat and exciting as the band’s usual work, the verses still possess the ingenious lyrics that Gaskarth is so renowned for, with lines such as “I don’t even know myself, I wish I could be someone else” sure to catch the attention of fans (while the “oh yeah” that follows doesn’t prove to be as achieving).

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Review: Grant Ulysses - Twin Visions EP

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Ulysses S. Grant? He was the 18th president of the United States, running the country from 1869-1877. Grant Ulysses? Well, that’s the solo project written, recorded and produced in the bedroom of Orillia teenager Cole Mendez.

Grant Ulysses has two music videos: “Wealth” and my personal favourite “Selfish”. The tracks aren’t exactly happy – actually, they’re rather depressing – but they are two of his most alternative, catchy and upbeat songs.

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Review: Fossil Youth - Intertwined With You EP

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Intertwined With You is the Take This To Heart Records debut from Oklahoma pop-punk band Fossil Youth. The four-piece have put their heart and soul into this four-song EP and have managed to create something that’ll easily establish them as one of the scene’s rising stars.

The EP begins with the quick-paced and hard-hitting “From The Window”. From there, listeners are treated to Fossil Youth’s melodic and rock-infused pop-punk. Songs like “Silver Tongue” and “Intertwined With You” show the band’s ability to slow things down and showcase emotion, with the former allowing vocalist Scottie Noonan to really impact listeners with the track’s melancholy lyrical content. “Wick” and the previously mentioned “From The Window” sound similar, but differ enough to keep things from becoming repetitive. They’re in-your-face, raw and bring the pop-punk spirit every group in the genre needs. While they do occasionally fall into the generic, Fossil Youth are quick to pick things up and swing them in a direction that many in the scene appear unable to.

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