Review: Seaway – Vacation

Artist: Seaway
Album: Vacation
Release Date: 09/15/17
RIYL: State Champs, Neck Deep, Real Friends
Rating: 8/10

Seaway has done it again, man. I was really impressed with Colour Blind, and Vacation has a sound that I can really appreciate, especially when my taste for pop punk is declining. Vacation is a powerful pop punk album marked by Seaway’s signature upbeat, in-your-face style that makes you want to happily stomp on air. Certain aspects of the album remind me of Weezer and Blink-182, which is wicked awesome. Seaway also has a way of taking topics such as potential hostile and emotional situations, and twisting them into really rad songs with funny lyrics and music that vicariously relieves aggression through heavy rhythm guitar and drums. Vacation carries the air of a tropical vacation at a luxury hotel on a beach.

Review: Born Animal – Celebration Revolution

Artist: Born Animal
Album: Celebration Revolution EP
Release Date: 12/1/17
RIYL: Cage the Elephant, Harvey Danger, R.E.M.
Rating: 7.5/10

Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, Born Animal is a rock band consisting of Ryan Stowe, Stephen Luther, Sean Rosettie, and Evan Miranda. Their second EP, Celebration Revolution, has the energy of a celebration and a revolution. So. Much. Umph. Let me tell you. What’s awesome about this album is that everything is clear—you can distinguish each instrument and Stowe’s prominent voice. Two rocking songs that I highly recommend you listen to are “I Think I Think Too Much” and “Do You Want My Blood?” Celebration Revolution’s lyrics are ones that every person can connect to.

Review: THRILLCHASER – A Lot Like Love

Artist: THRILLCHASER
Album: A Lot Like Love
Release Date: 02/16/2018
RIYL: The 1975, The Naked and Famous, Two Door Cinema Club
Rating: 7/10

A Lot Like Love is the debut album of THRILLCHASER, which was previously known as American Wolves before undergoing a shift of sound from heavy to poppy. THRILLCASHER accurately describes themselves as an alternative rock pop band. A Lot Like Love is interesting because between the songs there are shifts—one may have more of a medium rock pop sound with a synth-y backdrop, while the next song sounds slightly more like the melodic vocals of bands like Issues. As a whole, A Lot Like Love has a cool mixture of different sounds, and the sounds of “Emptiness,” “Like That,” and “Juliet” are definitely ones to lend your ears to.

Review: Coach Phillips – Learning How To Swim (EP)

Artist: Coach Phillips

Album: Learning How To Swim (EP)

Released: 02/13/2018

RIYL: Rat Boys, The Obsessives, Weezer, Cloud Nothings, Car Seat Headrest

Rating: 9/10

Coach Phillips’ latest release, Learning How to Swim (EP), is one that will take you back to the late 90s and early 2000s with the characteristic guitar sound of that era. Based out of Seattle, Washington, Coach Phillips consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Wade Phillips, percussionist and vocalist Jessica Kim, drummer and saxophonist Chet Baughman, guitarist Sabee Grewal, and bassist Tom Moskal. Learning How to Swim is an EP that brings together indie rock and garage pop, which is a beautiful combo that is accentuated by Jessica Kim’s dream-pop style voice and Baughman’s savvy saxophone playing.