Review Summary: Can you hear my words?
As of late, The Story So Far are considered a cornerstone of the genre they play in. Spanning across 10 years of work, the boys from Walnut Creek, CA are only recently showing barely any signs of slowing down. Fans insist the five piece can do no wrong at this point. The brand of dry, honest, to-the-point pop punk that the band has peddled over the years has won over the hearts and ears of many. As we move the focus from The Story So Far’s current work, however, and shift it to their 2007
5 Songs EP, we find what seems like an entirely different band.
Before The Story So Far broke out with their patented hardcore edge and in-your-face attitude, they played a style of pop punk closer to the band whose song is their namesake, New Found Glory. Parker’s vocals sound incredibly docile compared to later works, replacing his grit with more of a sneer. The instrumentation sounds competent but ultimately analogous to other bands occupying the same space at the time. Living With Lions and This Time Next Year come to mind. The strong songwriting that fans have come to expect with The Story So Far is completely missing, or otherwise extremely diluted. None of the lyrics on any of the songs have anything real to say, mainly checking the box of ‘words that mesh with music’. While the music is enjoyable at a basic level, many will find it lacking in many areas. As a first EP, The Story So Far put themselves on the map, albeit as only a tiny blip. The real breakthrough wouldn’t come for another three years.
