Review Summary: Pop-punk doesn't have to suck...
Pop punk. Most serious music consumers these days cringe at the word, and it’s easy to see why. When the only bands in the genre who’re getting exposure are the dickheads who have their glossy pictures plastered all over every issue of Kerrang it’s crystal clear why the genre has gotten such a bad reputation over time. By the turn of the century, pop punk had become a totally fashion-driven scene, and very few bands with actual substance were making big records. Of course, we live in the internet age now, which means pretty much every band in the world is ***ting digital records out their asses right onto our computer screens (maybe that was a bit of a strange analogy) for us to download and share. If anything, this is a good thing because it means that marketing through magazines and big labels is totally obsolete now. It also means that records like ‘Ordinary Silence’ by Mixtapes found their way to my ear holes. Don’t get me wrong, this album is well-produced and poppy. It’s actually really, really poppy. But it doesn’t feel cheap. Every song on the album has a true emotional weight to it, and coupled with the dual vocal harmonies, the experience this record offers is larger than most ‘pop punk’ bands can boast about these days. If you’re at all familiar with Mixtapes’ discography then you might be pleased to know that guitarist/vocalist Maura Weaver handles the majority of vocals on this album, giving the album a different feel to their previous releases and it’s a really nice touch. The first song on the album is ‘Bad Parts’ and it’s so awesomely full of three-part harmonies and catchy hooks that I don’t even care that they stole the riff from Boston’s ‘More Than a Feeling’ for the breakdown. ‘Like Glass’ is another track i’m really into, especially with it’s really cool “whoa” bits. Yeah, I probably could’ve come up with a better way to explain that but whatever, it’s just awesome okay? There’s not much I can say for the rest of the album except that it’s really catchy and everyone should at least give these guys a go, especially if you’re a fan of pop punk and looking for something to blow all the competition out of the water.
