Review Summary: This album is a game changer for Neck Deep, from the mix of old school poppy punk choruses to the driving power of new school pop punk, comes an album that will surely blow away old fans and bring in many new ones.
Neck Deep are a Welsh pop punk outfit formed in 2012 whose debut album last year "Wishful Thinking" received critical acclaim in the pop punk scene and was said to be the next big thing. I'll be honest, the album didn't do much for me, aside from losing teeth, damsel in distress and staircase wit, the whole album seemed to blend together and near the end I found myself just not caring when the album ended. Not to say that it was bad but it just wasn't mind blowing enough like everyone said. So when I heard that their sophomore album was going to be bigger and better, I did get excited because even if you brushed off their debut album, you knew they had potential. So when I first heard "can't kick up the roots", I thought to myself "What an old school style pop punk song! Then gold steps was released and I fell in love, a fast, anthemic and catchy as hell song that had me wishing I was seeing them live right there. Needless to say I pre-ordered and eagerly waited for August 14th. When that day did come, I knew this was going to be a contender for album of the year.
The first song took me by surprise and I'm sure that's what they were going for, "Citizens of Earth" has a hardcore skate punk kind of tune with almost rap like vocals, and almost reminds me of early sum 41 in the best of ways. This is an incredible song to open up the album with and will surely be a fan favourite for the opening track to their live shows.
The second track "Threat Level Midnight" didn't do much for me other than the references from one of my favourite shows "The Office" , pretty fun chorus but other than that, nothing too memorable. I've heard rumours that it was suppose to be a B-side to "Wishful Thinking" and whether that is true or not, it sure sounds like it could've been.
"Can't Kick Up the Roots" like I said before has an old school pop punk feel with a sing-along chorus and gang vocals near the end which always makes a song that much better. This was the first single to be released and is a good representation of what Neck Deep is all about. I hope to hear it on the radio sometime soon.
"Kali Ma" is without a doubt one of my favourite pop punk songs ever. This song has everything.... quick guitar work, a witty and catchy chorus, a reference to Indiana Jones and a breakdown with Jeremy McKinnon's vocals that will make anyone listening want to get up and mosh their ass off in the most fun way. Did I mention the gang vocals "GO TO HELL" gets me pumped every damn time.
"Gold Steps" is the second single and is a fast paced, anthem for anyone who feels down and out. Though the song structure is pretty basic aside from the powerful drumming and bass, It's the chorus and vocals of Jeremy McKinnon(ending scream) followed by another beautiful breakdown that allow this track to stand on its own.
"Lime St." is the next track with uplifting guitars and quick drumming and once again, relatable lyrics that make you feel more happy about the connection then sad. I mean when was the last time "Is it too late to say, too late to say, That I'm sorry for the things I do, I'm missing you like *** today" was so much fun to sing? Ben Barlow's vocals shine on this track. Which is something I noticed from track 1...he has improved from the almost nasally voice he had on wishful thinking to a more powerful pop punk voice that just helps improve the sound of this album overall.
The next track "Serpents" has a heavy guitar riff to begin and is pretty different instrumentally(darker) and almost gives you an empathetic feel towards Ben on what this girl did to him. Probably one of my favourite choruses to describe what a girl can do to hurt a guy (not just the other way around ladies) and is definitely one of the most memorable songs with once again fast drumming and a nice solo at the end that compliment the guitars, bass and drums all together.
"This Beach Is for Lovers" starts with a soft guitar/vocal intro with Ben and the backing vocalist until the rest of the band kicks in for a powerful groove and that will sure have to the crowd at live concerts jumping, moshing and dancing along. This song is very drum heavy especially during the verses and the song overall just shows how talented the drummer really is and how well each band member compliments one another. The lyrics are pretty average and nothing too impressive, mostly loving the instrumentals on this track.
"December is my new "go to" break up song now if I feel like crying lol. This song is way too relatable to my past relationships that it's almost scary. The chorus and song as a whole are sure to start a candle vigil at concerts and have people holding on to one another as they remember the one that got away. I love the string section in the background, almost gives me a Good Riddance(Time of your life) feel which is never bad considering Green Day is the one of the greatest bands ever (Slightly Biased)
The next track takes you right back into fifth gear with "Smooth Seas Don't Make Good Sailors". Another fast guitar driven tune that will sound great in the moshpit and I can't wait. The chorus is such an uplifting tune that has the power to make the listener realize that taking the easy way out won't always be the most satisfying. Thank you Neck Deep for pushing us to explore out of our comfort zone. Once again the guitars and bass work so well with each other you'd think these guys were veterans. Also, this song has one of the best choruses you could ask for in a pop punk song.
"I Hope This Comes Back To Haunt You" is another softer tune such as Lime St. but I love the transition of the soft guitars in the verse to the dance like guitar riffs during the chorus. Lyrically this song is good and is one of my favourite Neck Deep songs. Though in context with this album, it's pretty average but still, that's better than most pop punk songs lately.
Lastly is "Rock Bottom"...lyrically it doesn't blow me away but it's a great closer, from the strong vocals to the timely drumming and sweeping guitars and powerful bass, it's a great way to close an album that puts Neck Deep at the top of the pop punk rankings.
In Conclusion, as a whole, this album is an amazing sophomore powerhouse and shows that these guys have a strong future in this genre and as band in general. These guys use their idols like sum 41, blink 182 and new found glory to create a pop punk masterpiece that will prove to be a classic within 10 years.
