Review Summary: Junior Battles are everything a pop-punk band should be. Catchy and fun? Sure. Sincere? Definitely.
In "Major Label Bidding War,"
Junior Battles sing, "It's a numbers game/the more shows we play/the more people will buy into this bull***." Well, I've already bought into their bull***. And I haven't even seen them live yet. The Toronto band's latest EP is a refreshing dose of pop-punk - a reminder that the best bands in North America are touring in beat up vans and playing in your best friend's basement. Or something like that.
What I'm trying to say is this:
Junior Battles are everything a pop-punk band should be. Catchy and fun? Sure. Sincere? Definitely. Nothing feels phony about the band singing lyrics about touring, playing shows, and whatever else punk bands do. All four tracks on the EP are solid, but the highlight is easily "Basements," an ode to your favorite music venues everywhere. Like I said, I haven't been to a
Junior Battles show, but the only way I can imagine it is a cramped, sweaty basement with terrible sound and the crowd providing most of the vocals. The EP closes on a solid note as well with the touring anthem "Roads? Where We're Going, We Definitely Need Roads." The title is awesome enough with it's nerdy "Back to the Future" reference, and the song manages to live up to it.
Junior Battles are the kind of band that transport you back to summers long ago, when
blink-182 were the coolest thing ever and all you cared about was getting the sick score on the latest Tony Hawk video game. And if that still describes you, you're in for a hell of a treat. But let me be clear about this:
Junior Battles are not a throwback band and shouldn't be treated as such. They've got a quality pop-punk sound with dual vocalists, driving bass, and great guitars. They've got just enough familiarity to draw you in and just enough originality to keep you coming back for more.
