Review- Heard North "Arrows"

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