Australian rockers Trophy Eyes have released their new album The American Dream today, and it is quite the departure from their previous sound that gave them some recognition, but ultimately keeps the genre overly saturated. Where 2016’s Chemical Miracle saw the band employ a melodic hardcore approach to their emotionally charged lyrics, The American Dream turns sharply to more deliberate and expanded story telling through frontman John Floreani’s baritone voice that doesn’t explode so much anymore, but rather rises up in songs like “Something Bigger Than This” and “Friday Forever” in a voice that crosses between Jared Leto and Brandon Flowers. Some fans will most likely be disappointed with the transition, but I think that it is the most practical choice for a band with this kind of talent. The album comes as a result of Floreani moving to Texas to be with his long-time girlfriend and grappling with the everyday struggles of self-identity that come naturally to someone in their mid-twenties-only he does it with some intense lyrics that still make this a true Trophy Eyes work of art with lyrics that give us a glimpse into his childhood memories. It’s both bold and ambitious, and sure to make them that much more accessible to a broader range of fans. This can be seen most clearly by the replacement of heavy screaming with a lower, more polished voice that is propelled by the roaring guitars and anthemic gang vocals that make for some really enjoyable and catchy choruses that will keep them stuck in your head as you carry on with your day. Songs like “Broken” and “Lavender Bay” share a close resemblance to the same Deep South influences found in Gaslight Anthem’s The ’59 Sound and that is not a bad thing by any means. I mean, “A Symphony of Crickets” is something that one could have probably been pulled from Brian Fallon’s own songbook (who wouldn’t love a cover by him either, huh?).  As the album comes to a graceful completion on “I Can Feel It Calling”, the group make their exit with a song that starts out with a wonderful Johnny Cash feel that builds up to a climactic finale full of majestic strings. This band took a huge gamble by changing up so much on this album, but with big risk comes big reward and I am certain The American Dream will allow this young group to experience just that.

Top 3 Songs: Something Bigger Than This, A Cotton Candy Sky, Lavender Bay

Convictions recently put out their sophomore album, Hope for the Broken, and it truly is a FUN album. The band hails from Ohio-the birthplace of other post-hardcore superstars like The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack, and Of Mice and Men-and they more than prove they can hang with those studs. Although they follow the standard formula of screams through the verses that break into catchy clean choruses, they do it with a long-lost intensity and versatility. A huge highlight of this album is that every song seems to showcase their various influences- “Deceptive Heart” ends with a vicious scream that mirrors those of Fit for A King, “Voices” sounds like something straight from Underoath’s They’re Only Chasing Safety with the incorporation of synthesizers and more technical/tighter drum work, “Divided” leaps out at you with amazing ferocity like My Ticket Home, and so on and so forth. The importance of this is that each song is different enough in sound and style that you don’t get bored halfway through the album or skip through to hear your two or three favorite tracks. The screams of vocalist Michael Felker are dynamic as well. The highs, with throat-ripping intensity, sound similar to Mike Hranica in the Devil Wears Prada first two releases while the lows stop you dead in your tracks with bloodcurdling fervor that only the crisp cleans that bassist/vocalist John Fleischmann provides can blend with. As for the instrumental side of the album, this release provides some of the strongest/catchiest riffs I have heard from this scene (or really any other genre) this year. The breakdowns are heavy as anything, but the way that they become borderline hardcore instead of the traditional metalcore sound is what seals the deal for this band.The only qualm I have with this album is that the lyrics, although sang with sincerity and passion, are pretty run-of-the mill for this genre. A little more innovation, and this would have been the album to beat. The only other setback for this band is recognition as they are still building up a following, but I believe that in a few years this band will be at the forefront of the genre as leaders of the pack.

Top 3 Songs: Feel Alive, Voices, Divided

 

Album Rating: 7.4/10

Pop punk sucks. Like, it really sucks. Gone are the days where bands like New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday ran the scene with lovable creativity and innovation. Granted, there are a few bands such as Neck Deep, Movements, and The Wonder Years who still manage to bring fresh air to a genre that has become extremely stale, but the genre needs more. The fans need more. Which brings me to Trash Boat. The boys from the UK are no longer newcomers to the scene, with their first album Nothing I Could Write You gaining them an international following. However, the album left much to be desired as I found their sound to be borderline unstable and lacking consistency. The vocals seemed to be held back by the upbeat pop-like instrumentals and their lyrics, while dealing with personal battles from vocalist Tobi Duncan’s life, seemed too whiny to really resonate with me. As the release of their sophomore album approached, I myself felt unsure of what I would be getting. Thankfully, Trash Boat have nailed down not only a solid sound, but a confident and mature one that allows them to reach their potential. Whereas the previous album went for pop, Crown Shyness shows the punk side of pop punk with Duncan embracing his aggressive vocal style of screaming while putting a little raspy touch on the choruses almost reminiscent of early Alexisonfire. This change is also embraced by the rest of the band as they incorporate pounding drums and thrashing guitar work to bring some really interesting breakdowns that pull their hardcore roots to the forefront. The album hits the ground running with “Inside Out’ and “Shade” setting the pace of breakneck speed until the album hits a little past the midway mark with its ballad style title track that resonate more as pumping the brakes then a soft showcasing of their versatility. Luckily, with such a short album the album picks up right after with the anthem “Silence” which propels listeners through the end of the album with the powerful emotion of “Love, Hate, React, Relate” that highlights all the best parts of Trash Boat. As I said above, Pop punk really sucks these days, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m not even saying that Crown Shyness is the album that will make the sinking ship float again. What I am saying is this: Trash Boat really explored themselves and their work and brought a level of maturity to the table that has been gone far too long in this scene, and if other bands are able to follow their example and reflect on using influences of their roots instead of creating direct copies there is still a chance for this genre and pop punk can thrive again.

Top 3 Songs: Shade, Old Soul, Controlled Burn

Bottom 3 Songs: Crown Shyness, Don’t Open Your Eyes, Undermine