Recorded back in April of 23 in Texas These Scranton punks promised everything but never quite broke into the major league alongside Green Day and other premier league punks but they did keep churning out consistently good and wholesome records. Sure there is an injection of Americana via the likes of Gaslight Anthem and this latest album kicks off in glorious chest-puffed-out anthemic style with the upbeat and uptempo ‘Hope Is A Dangerous Little Thing’. Theres a maturity here that’s not so much in the end product but an underlying feeling ‘Nobody Stays’ is big verse and chorus with layers of vocals and a wall of sound. Its as if they’ve taken a deep breath and decided they are ready to step up to the next level and fill a void of arenas that needs loud guitars and some shouty lyrics leaning on the Americana side of things, acoustic guitars are strumming big chords, a wall of distorted youthful guitars and wholesome snare snapping drumming and that’s good.

There is also a dreamy side like the title track that has a radio-friendly side to it something say a Goo Goo Dolls perfected before becoming totally consumed by FM safe radio this has a bit of an edge going on. Usher in ‘Try’ with its loud guitars and harmonic solo that licks the intro before the verse gets going proper. Big chorus declaring that they are ready after a decade and a half to take what they can.

The record falls back into a safer radio-friendly tempo with ‘Come On Heartache’ with its tale of love and loss. I’m still scratching my head that this is album number eight they’re at the point where they can reflect with credibility and look forward in several diverse directions but not come across as overtly earnest or sickly Americana they are none of those things and keep enough grit in the songs and delivery. ‘Take It To Heart’ has a cool lick and a good chorus that’s one of the best tracks on the record.

‘High Low’ is another slow-burning song where the intro reminded me that Ryan Adams used to make records this good but disappeared off my radar. Before the record closes you have the uptempo joyride of ‘I Didn’t Miss You’ and then the record finishes where it began with another acoustic-led mid-paced rocker. There’s a lot of music to get through on this album and the highs are certainly that whereas the lulls are few and far between and there is enough sunshine here to dive in or add to a mixtape to familiarise yourself with the songs because this one I feel could be a slow-burning success and one come to the end of the year will still be hitting the turntable.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley