Much to the chagrin of all those bands singing overproduced nothings over a high-budget studio-forged sound, it’s become really easy to spot when a band is faking it. A hint of success or fame sometimes makes musicians forget that real music isn’t what strives for perfection, but simply something with meaning. Sometimes the best thing a band can do is abandon all the fine-tunings and let the imperfections take center stage.
Chase This City has definitely caught on to the fact that keeping it real is the way to go. The Marengo, Illinois pop punk five-piece takes pride in being rough around the edges. Whether it’s the gruff, crusty vocals or the equally as convincing lyrical content, this is realist pop punk through and through. With only a handful of material under their belt, the Everything I Never Told You EP is Chase This City’s defining release.
Everything I Never Told You is a mere three songs in length, but each song does well to cover a different aspect of the band’s sound and not step on the other tracks’ toes. "I Could Just Cave Right In" puts on display some sweet guitar work and an incredibly catchy chorus. "Washington And East" is a slower paced track in which the bass truly gets a chance to shine. At the end of the track is one of the EP’s highlights in the form of gang vocals chanting “I laid my head face-down in the concrete, it’s a long way down”. The EP comes to a close with "Stuck On The Outside", which is by far the best track on the release. It’s relentlessly fast, catchy and lyrically impacting. The track reaches it’s peak with the line “If this is how it feels when your true colors show, I think I’d rather be alone”.
When a band chooses to not be contrived and not to compromise any artistic choices, only then can something as honest and cohesive as the Everything I Never Told You EP be crafted. It knows what it sets out to do and nails it in an undeniably catchy and uplifting way. This EP will certainly be grabbing a lot of people’s attention.
Tracklist:
1. I Could Just Cave Right In
2. Washington And East
3. Stuck On The Outside
RIYL: The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club
Rating:
Written by Marc Saggese
