QUICKSPINS: SWMRS – Berkeley’s On Fire

Oakland pop-punk quartet SWMRS released an album that while sparsely intriguing, never lives up to its exemplary opening track. While the band ventures down interesting roads in terms of production, fusing elements of hip hop and electronic to a pop core, SWMRS fails to flesh out these experimental portions, leaving bland punk at its centre. Listeners will either latch on to these more unique production elements and appreciate the pop sensibilities, or be bored by the vague punk vocals that fall flat. This tape is for those that are willing to sacrifice vocal energy for glimpses of something new in the punk landscape. Either way, check out that title track.

6/10

Trial Track: Berkeley’s On Fire

Star Bar:
“Put your pom-poms down you didn’t win shit,
go bail out your guilty ass it’s not your business,” – Cole Becker on “Berkeley’s On Fire”

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