Picture Us Tiny – “Jackson, You are dying”
-They DO make music like they used to and Picture Us Tiny is the perfect example of that. The up tempo, power-chord filled track is exactly what I hope for when I tick the “pop punk” box. It’s got everything you want; guitars, energetic vocals, and angsty lyrics. The tight harmonies and the devil-may-care lyrics remind me of the early 2000s when bands like Blink were all over the radio. This makes me want to go to a live show SO BAD.
Gold Steps – “Gatsby”
-Upbeat, energetic, full of power chords and emotional lyrics… oh yeah, this song has it all. It feels like a mashup of a lot of music that was popular in the early 2000s. The lead vocal shines through on this one for sure. The power chords and soaring vocal on the chorus definitely feels like quintessential pop punk music. The bridge has this unique effect that makes it sound like the band is distant for a bit and it makes the drop after the bridge really powerful. It’s a cool production effect that helps the song pop.
Up from Here – “Shape up”
-The lead vocal on this track is absolutely outstanding. A lot of bands out there can string together a few power chords, but it really takes a next-level lead vocalist to make a pop punk band stand out. Up from Here have that going for this sound. The expressive lyrics work really well too. If you’ve ever been self critical both on who you are now as well as your past, this song will connect for sure. I have a love/hate relationship with music that makes me feel so “seen” in this way. But musically, it’s definitely more love than hate. This is a really impressive piece of songwriting and fans of pop punk definitely need to know this band.
Image courtesy: Picture Us Tiny IG
