[rating=8.00]
Philly rockers Beach Slang have been gaining attention with their first few EP’s and now arrives the band’s debut full length release whose title, The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us is almost longer than the album itself. These short catchy punk infused tracks are infectious with a positivity in the upbeat aggressive playing, an outsider’s sense of lyrical longing and those gloriously loud ringing guitars.
Vitality is at the root of everything front-man James Alex Snyder does, leading the group through trials of mind and soul both of which can only be saved by rock and roll. The group’s formula is direct as they slam open the recording with “Throwaways” raging against soulless towns with laser fueled six string slinging before the first single “Bad Art and Weirdo Ideas” plays on a Modern English vibe, without melting any worlds. “Noisy Heaven” attacks the ears so fully formed it encapsulates the group completely with gripping guitars, desperate-yet-hopeful lyrics and a soaring feeling that anything is possible.
That winning power pop continues with tracks like the jangly “Hard Luck Kid” and “Dirty Lights” ending the album on a mid-90’s alt-rock vibe. “Ride The Wild Haze” kicks up the tempo with lyrics about escapism through drugs, but realizing it will all be the same when you come back down.
“I Break Guitars” goes on a different more musical journey with an excellent mid song break that bleeds into the heaviest track on the disk “Young and Alive”, reiterating the important point of it’s title. The low end gets a proper workout with “Porno Love” moving the breathy ironic vocals along while the band slows down and turns down the volume for the almost ballad “Too Late To Die Young”. This song in particular proves there is more to Beach Slang then just dialing it up to 11 and jamming out. In the vein of Japandroids, Beach Slang craft their rock and roll to feel urgent, young and vibrant; like it is the only thing that matters here and now, because let’s face it, sometimes it is.
