These are the records that were fantastic, but just this side of the top ten.
1) Save Ends – Strength vs. Will (self released)
2) Among Giants – Truth Hurts (self released)
3) Red Collar – Welcome Home (Tiny Engines)
4)The Eeries – Home Alone (Evil Weevil / Burger)
5) La Sera – Sees The Light (Hardly Art)
There is no shortage of poppy punk rock bands in the world. The sheer volume means that it’s hard to find the good records in the vast sea of generic bullshit. Featuring ex-members of No Trigger and Rotary, Save Ends definitely know how to make a great record. Strength vs. Will is heads and shoulders above the rest.
Strength vs. Will features some great songs. Songs on this record would have been right at home on alternative radio had it come out a few years earlier. That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I don’t mean it that way. I mean that this band has a lot of crossover potential.
There is really nothing to not like about Save Ends. The great joint vocals from Christine Atturio and Brendan Cahill fucking kill. The songs are filled with catchy hooks and big choruses. Even the whole “ex-members of” thing isn’t overwhelming. If anything it helps. It means the band knows how to make a record sound good. Most self released things suffer from spotty production. That isn’t the case here. This thing sounds right on.
This is a great follow up to their prior release, Ten or Better. With how solid their two EPs have been, you have to believe a full length would kill. You would be remiss to no check this out.
Also (insert nerd reference here), I guess.
Team Reasonable 