New Music Report – July 24, 2020
I know I said last week that we’re in a bit of a lull right now, and I suppose in a way, that’s still true. Instead of 5 or 6 albums, I’m only talking about two, but MAN is one of these albums a big one. I’ve been talking about The Acacia Strain all fucking year, it feels like, and this week is the culmination of all of that hype and praise. So enjoy, now I promise I’ll shut up about them until it’s time for my top 10 list at the end of the year.
The Acacia Strain – Before even pressing play, this album has album of the year potential. Everything from the surprise mini EP releases, the suspense of guessing the album name, the absolutely INCREDIBLE album art, etc. TAS have really set the bar high with this one; this is already the coolest release this year. That said, we’ve heard the majority of these songs before, but listening to them as part of a big, cohesive piece really adds even more dimension to it. I’ve been captivated by this album for about 7 months now, so actually having it in front of me is a real treat, but it really lived up to expectations. In fact, this might just be the best Acacia Strain album yet. Which I know is a huge bar to live up to, but I’m genuinely convinced this album is not only their most creative yet, but the most diverse, and the biggest step up from their typical sound. Now, this isn’t like It Comes In Waves – I consider that to be kind of a standalone, anyway – because it sticks close to what they have been known for, but it really is just all that much better. It’s weird, it’s kind of hard to approach this objectively as a new, complete album since I already considered all these songs as individual pieces released throughout the year, but it’s an interesting new challenge that I happened to enjoy quite a bit. I’m going to be singing the praises of not only this album, but the novel approach to an album release, for quite a while to come, this is just excellent.
Neck Deep – I’m gonna get straight to the point: I’m not feeling this album. I loved early Neck Deep; really excellent, bouncy 2010’s pop punk. But the past few albums have slid really far into an “alt rock with leftover whiny pop punk vocals” kinda thing. It reminds me a lot of Yellowcard and New Found Glory from like 2003/4, and I feel the same way about Neck Deep now as I did about them back then. I get what they’re trying to do, I really do, and I understand the appeal, but I also recognize that it isn’t for me. It’s pop punk with about an 80% emphasis on the pop, and that’s just fine, they’re very good at it, despite a few somewhat boring and lackluster tunes on this album. In fact, if you want to check out the highlights, go listen to the singles. So, if you want a nostalgia trip back to the days of Simple Plan and Yellowcard, definitely check this album out. I wouldn’t fault you for it for a second, it’s just not for me.