Thieves are back with their new EP and third release ‘Achiever’. The Texan quartet who released their last full length ‘Just Give It Up’ through label Vagabond Collective have gone back to their DIY routes and with this newest release.
Both title track and opener ‘Achiever’ kick starts the record with energetic riffs, rapid drum beats; all of the staple ingredients you’d expect in a pop punk track. Despite this, Thieves can’t be labelled as being a generic pop punk band: they break the rules and take on a more technical approach with the EP. ‘The Wisdom of Insecurity’ which is also the third to be released from ‘Achiever’ is a strong track on the record, combining infectious strings, raw vocals and lively drum beats to match.
<a href=“http://thievestx.bandcamp.com/album/achiever-2” data-mce-href=“http://thievestx.bandcamp.com/album/achiever-2”>Achiever by Thieves</a>
‘Compassion vs. Contempt’ breaks up the EP nicely being just over a minute in length and is yet another track full to the brim with energy, heading straight into ‘Entitled to Nothing’. Having all of the members contribute to vocals in some shape or form works well for the quartet, and the crossover vocals in this track work to Thieves strength. The quartet also experiment with slower tempos, an area that particularly highlights their technicality and adds to their fresh take on the genre.
Instrumental track ‘Believer’ ends ‘Achiever’ on a high note, where Thieves demonstrate their technical abilities one last time displaying their refreshing outlook on pop punk. Ending a record with an instrumental isn’t something that you often see but this is a successful way for the quartet to round off their seven track release.
If you love fun, energy filled pop punk then you’ll love ‘Achiever’ and although I’ve never been the biggest lover, Thieves have produced a record that has convinced me that pop punk is still very much alive.
3.5/5
‘Achiever’ by Thieves is available now on Vagabond Collective.
Thieves links: Official Website|Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp
Words by Hannah Gillicker (@HannahGillicker)
