It might just be me, but the pop punk music scene has moved forward since music like this was popular. Sticking to your roots might be worth it in some senses, but if you’re trying to make a name for yourself it might be worth trying to do something a bit more fresh, or unique.

‘I Could Just Cave Right In’ starts with the lead guitar intro you hear on every other outdated pop punk song. The singer sounds a bit like Ian Watkins too, who wasn’t that great a singer in the first place, although the singing has more substance to it than the whiny drawl of Ian Watkins. The chorus does sound quite catchy, but it’s all been done before.

It’s the same chords used in all pop punk songs, and ‘Washington And East’ doesn’t disappoint in that area. A bit more interesting than the last track, although it just doesn’t appeal at all to me. Stereotypical breakdown, whiny vocals and chanted vocals disappoint me further. 

Starting off a bit confusing with the dual vocals sounding a bit out of time, ‘Stuck On The Outside’ breaks into everything I would expect from what I’ve heard so far. The shouted, almost screamed vocals make me pay attention a little more, but there is just nothing to this song that I can bring myself to find interesting. 

It’s all been done before, even if you’re a huge pop punk fan I doubt you’d be able to find something about this that appeals to you in a new way. They have captured the pop punk sound perfectly, although doing nothing new with it just seems a waste with what could potentially take them somewhere new. For a 3 track EP, I only needed to hear the first to know what the rest would sound like, so I’m glad it was only 3 tracks. I guess for a band named Chase The City I shouldn’t have expected any more, that’s as cliché as it comes. 

1/5

‘Everything I Never Told You’ by Chase This City is available now.

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Words by Callum McPhee (@Callum0510)