Review Summary: Pop-Punk, but not as you know it.
If you choose to listen to just one album from the UK underground scene this year, make sure it's this one. Everything Dies, released by indie label, Big Scary Monsters, is a record that combines melodic punk rock and painstakingly honest lyrics about the struggles of finding one’s personal identity, with a hearty dose of sugary sweet pop sensibility for good measure.
Alkaline Trio influence is all over this record, with 'It Follows' and 'The Way Back' showcasing this not just sonically, but also lyrically, as vocalist, Em Foster's often sardonic lyrics juxtapose the upbeat nature of the songs. 'Sick Sad World' and it's playful piano play has a folk-punk quality to it reminiscent of Frank Turner, whilst 'Recycled Air' and 'It Follows' show you that this is a band who are certainly no strangers to The Cure.
Nervus opened for Southampton goths Creeper in a headline run around the UK at the tail-end of last year - and if you were a fan of 'Eternity, In Your Arms', you could certainly do a lot worse than giving Everything Dies a spin. Foster's melodies are much like Will Gould's in the sense that they're routed in punk rock, but do not shy away from pop sensibilities especially when combined with the frequent 'woah-oh-ohs' that can be found throughout the LP.
A lot of reviews have focused on the significance and the importance of this album for the lyrical context and what the band represent to the LGBT community - and that is not something that should be ignored, but what also shouldn't be forgotten or glossed over is that this isn't just a decent collection of songs with a nice message behind it. This is a brilliant assortment of fun radio-ready punk-rock songs that pack a punch, but most of all, are just really good.
