A pair of rock tracks that highlight the versatility of the electric guitar

Up from Here – “No Way Out”
-If you’re a fan of pop punk in the vein of Blink182 and Yellowcard, definitely check out this new track from Up from Here. The power chords are something to behold here. They’re like an audio time machine, pulling me back to the early 2000s heyday of pop punk music. The vocals have that emotional top-of-the-register desperation to them and they work perfectly for the genre. I don’t know if anyone would ever accuse me of being a scene kid, but as someone who saw MxPx and Good Charlotte in concert, I feel like I have some credibility to put my stamp of pop punk approval on this great new song.

Creature Canyon – “Even on My Worst Days”
-I appreciate the spirited indie rock energy here. The overall style of the track reminds me of college rock music. There’s a vibe that is both upbeat and clever, keeping the song moving nicely. I know this is a bit of a throwback reference, but it puts me in mind of a band called Keane that was popular about 20 years ago. The vocals here work well and one of my favorite aspects of the track is that the distortion on the guitars does a nice job of creating depth without obfuscating the sound too much. It’s interesting. The lyrical vibe is about having a supportive partner who helps even on your worst days. It’s nice to have an upbeat rock song that makes you say “awww” with such a positive good vibes message.