Neck Deep receive a big mix of love and hate at times. The jury seems torn on whether they're merely a popular trend ridden band or the real deal, and if I'm being completely honest, they are the real deal. I was extremely taken with their second album Life's Not Out To Get You and they've certainly not disappointing with the third instalment, The Peace And The Panic.
Admittedly I'm not the biggest pop-punk fan, my tastes do suit a slightly heavier flavour at times, but you cannot deny a well written album. For me that says more about them as a band than any fan could tell me. The thought that always springs to mind is how good the song-writing is, the ease with which the individual parts compliment each other is hard to master and should be appreciated.
I find a great example of this is the song In Bloom. The first thing I noticed was the drum beat, simple yet interesting and crisply executed. Secondly was Ben's lyrics, again simple and not saturated with heavily weighted words but not afraid to mix it up at times, the phrase "don't delude me with your sympathy, cause I can do this on my own" resonates particularly, they clearly aren't afraid of using some more articulate phrasing when it suits.
Now I know to some it may appear to be almost TOO easy. Simplicity is something of a problem with modern Pop-punk but to blame Neck Deep for that would be folly. I think that it would have been just as easy to try something different and ruin everything, but ultimately the directional decisions are down to the band. (That said, I don't know how much I can agree with using a children's choir)
Mostly with this record, I'm just happy that they've produced another interesting album, that's well-balanced, doesn't drag and leaves you wanting more, again! Well in lads, colour me impressed.
Pop-punk supremos return to the fore...
Was it a bore?? Nah: 7/10
Top picks: In Bloom, Happy Judgement Day, Don't Wait ft. Sam Carter of Architects
The Peace And The Panic was released 2017 via Fearless Records:
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