I don’t know about you, but when the weather is good I struggle to listen to anything except pop punk. It’s music that’s meant for sunny days and UV rays, bright coloured tee’s and a pair of shades. With the heatwave that we’ve been having in the UK the last few months, I’d been on the lookout for some new pop punk. A band whose back catalogue I hadn’t delved into before that I could lap up and quench my thirst. That band turned out to be Like Pacific, and this is why I think you need to check out their new record In Spite Of Me.
Pop punk is so loved because it’s fun. It’s catchy. It’s bouncy. It puts a smile on your face. There are some bands, though, that marry that feel-good nature with a more sombre and serious tone. Some bands that tread into more lyrically sensitive territories and drape a sense of struggle over the happiness in the music. That marriage of sensations is something that Like Pacific are well versed in, and throughout In Spite Of Me they put it all on display with class and precision. Self Defeated is a bouncy and catchy diamond, boasting emotive vocal deliveries and punchy guitar tones. Had It Coming is a pace-changing wrecking ball, swinging from stripped back verses straight into enormous guitar heavy choruses. Occupy Your Skin almost feels like a ballad, waltzing in and out of the calm to scream the words “You’re all that I have left” over a decorative wall of chords. They have every single base covered, having something on offer for fans of the genre in all it’s forms. As a whole, In Spite Of Me is an emotional, infectious and exciting journey through pop punk. That journey is definitely one that you should embark on.
If you’re a fan of the genre, this record will slot nicely into your collection. Imagine if The Wonder Years, Trophy Eyes and State Champs somehow managed to make a baby. Like Pacific would be that baby. There isn’t a single skippable track on this record, it’s nothing but gold from beginning to end. Listen to it in it’s entirety and let every single note ring through you. Listen to every single heartbreaking word and let it speak to you. 32 minutes later you’ll find yourself grinning and wanting to listen all over again. In Spite Of Me is one of the best pop punk records of the year. Say hello to your new favourite band.
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