Band- Head North
Album- Arrows
Label- Unsigned
Release Date- May 28th 2013
Reviewed By Justin Kwok
Emerging
from the woodwork with their debut EP Arrows,
Buffalo, NY’s Head North offers a refreshing spin on pop rock that probably
would’ve secured them a comfortable spot on the 2005 Fueled By Ramen
roster. Boasting a polished
whimsicality, Arrows captures the
essence of bands like FUCT-era Fall Out Boy and The Academy Is..., cutting the
unnecessary sass, all the while maintaining the genuine earnestness of a pop
punk child raised on stage dives in a legion hall.
Kicking
things off with an appropriately subtle build up, the thirty second title track
is no understatement of an opener. Singing “We were the fire set by sixteen
years of sitting still”, vocalist James Celeste ensures that the direction of
the EP is clear right off the bat. The
vocal delivery is an immediate standout, exhibiting a rich charisma that would
make William Beckett proud.
The
next track, “Stay Young”, picks up the pace, drawing rather effectively from
the Rise or Die Trying library of
easycore riffage. The song-writing,
while a tad played out, is certainly infectious, riding on the back of youthful
lyricism and vibrant melodies. Lyrical references to The Smashing Pumpkins and
Donnie Darko sprinkle an additional touch of relevance on the otherwise
quintessential pop punk subject matter. With eloquent guitar leads acting
appropriately complimentary throughout the EP and rolling double kick drum
rhythms bringing the intensity at the right moments, it would be fair to say
the instrumentals are fairly spot on.
Tracks
like “See You Next Tuesday” and “They Made Me Do It” continue to showcase the
glamorous vocal work, with the latter providing one of the finer moments of the
record in its echoed chants of ‘”oh we’re getting deeper”, culminating in a
stacked harmony followed by a breakdown. While “You’re a Knockout Kid” feels
like the type of beach girl anthem that Hit the Lights or Fight Fair would have
done in 2008, the closing track “Act or Age” definitely exhibits some Dangerous
Summer-like vibes, allowing a fair bit of variety in the 6-track EP.
Overall,
Arrows is definitely one of the more
varied offerings you’ll find in a genre that’s become quite heavily saturated
as of late. Anyone who enjoys the pop in their pop punk best not skip over
this.
FFO:
The Academy Is, Fall Out Boy, Four Year Strong, I Call Fives
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