Review Summary: "And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
If this involves playing some kick-ass punk rock then yeah they've got it down pat.
Children 18:3 is a three piece punk band from Morris, MN. Formed entirely from a single family, Children’s vocal duties are shared by brother and sister, David and Lee Marie Hostetter with their other brother Seth who takes his position behind the drum kit. Children started out as an independent band, releasing two EP’s on their own before Solid State took notice of them and decided to sign them. In addition to their tremendous talent, it was because of their Christian values and respect for Tooth & Nail's current roster that CEO Brandon Ebel decided to give them a shot.
If you haven’t heard Children’s music before it can be simply explained as punk rock with a tinge of pop. Although I am not normally a fan of duo-vocalists in bands, for some reason in Children 18:3 it just works really well. Their name is from a bible verse, they go to church regularly but that doesn’t stop them from crafting one of the most fun, punk records to ever come out of Minnesota.
“All My Balloons” is the album opener and it’s second single which pretty much defines their sound entirely. It’s easily the pop-iest song of the album and also one of the best. While their sound does tend to go from heavy to soft at the drop of a hat, it’s not such a serious change that it takes anything away from the record itself. The first single “You Know We’re All So Fond Of Dying” really showcases the duo-vocals as David sings and Lee Marie just harmonizes in the background. The songs are short, concise and have no trouble getting to the point. My favorite part about this band is that not only are the songs catchy as hell but they refuse to stray from their sound. They don’t go too far off track and try to experiment, which is how this record became a success. Many would argue that all of the songs following the same pattern would be unoriginal and boring but this is not the case for this band. They still manage to keep every song fresh and exciting.
One of the best songs off the album is “Ditches” which has a pretty funky chorus and some intricate guitar lines. It sports some layered vocals that really help the listener get a feel for the standard duo vocals displayed here. My personal favorite song off the album is “Homemade Valentine” which is undoubtedly Children’s most well known song. The chorus lyric is the best of the album with “we wasted all our hopes on him, like paper hearts on a homemade valentine.” This could or could not be their Christian influence showing through but either way this song is a true testament that real punk can survive the indecencies of the likes of Green Day and Sum 41. “A Chance To Say Goodbye” is just another quality song on the album that shows more of the soft side of the band since it’s nearly not as punky and energetic as you might find in other songs.
Chances are this will get overlooked by most which is truly a shame. This will most likely please most punk/pop punk fans out there. While Lee Marie does share the duties with her brother David, she still gets plenty of time to show off her talent on the microphone whilst playing the bass as well. For those of you who crave the female vocals of Paramore and VersaEmerge, this album is surely for you. Everything about this album screams punk so make sure to listen to it when you get a chance, you’ll thank me later.
Listen:
All My Balloons
LCM
You Know We're All So Fond of Dying
Homemade Valentine
Mock The Music
A Chance To Say Goodbye
Pos'd
