Sometimes there is no shame in going back to what you know, and that is what Neck Deep has done on this self-titled fifth full-length. 2020’s ‘All Distortions Are Intentional’ saw the Welsh group head into adventurous new directions, while maintaining one foot in the pop-punk sphere with mixed results. With this album seeing the band going into a bubble with little outside interference, and to their musical roots, you get the impression that there is a sense of regret linked to ‘All Distortions…’ Nevertheless, ‘Neck Deep’ is an unashamedly fun and sturdy reminder of their ability to deliver out-and-out pop-punk bangers!
From the outset, ‘Dumbstruck, Dumbf**k’ and ”Sort Yourself Out’ thrive with an abundance of relentless energy. The latter is delivered with a bombastic chorus, tinged with bitterness. For most of its 37 minutes, ‘Neck Deep’ doesn’t let up. Like it or not, Neck Deep thrives in this genre, and while there are moments that come off as formulaic (‘Go Outside!’), they’re still delivered with a tonne of momentum.
Lyrically, vocalist Ben Barlow covers a range of topics; broken relationships, introspective thoughts on his parents (“But now they’re fucked up just like you” on ‘They May Not Mean To (But They Do)’), the need to run away (via the arrival of UFO’s (‘Take Me With You’)), and mental health. Although these themes are hardly threaded together, Barlow’s delivery is done with conviction. Likewise, on the politically-charged ‘We Need More Bricks’, he delivers a rallying call of “We need more punks and we need more bricks”.
Throughout new member Mat soars with bold drum work, driving the big hooks on ‘This is All My Fault’ and ‘Heartbreak Of The Century’. Whereas Ben’s brother, bassist Seb, along with guitarists Matt West and Sam Bowden continuously maintain the energy while delivering subtle grooves and favourable melodies.
Having continuously proved their doubters wrong from the moment they emerged 10 years ago, it’s fitting that Neck Deep‘s self-titled album is them at their best, even if they’ve had to creatively take a step back in the process.
4/5
‘Neck Deep’ by Neck Deep is out now on Hopeless Records.
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