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The 20Belows

Wreckage EP

Written by: PP on 10/05/2014 16:22:32

On their latest EP "Wreckage", The 20Belows continue to wave the flag of no-frills pop punk high in Denmark with frightening consistency. Much like their earlier releases, the band relies on simple pop punk melodies and stream-of-consciousness style lyrics of vocalist Ulrich Basler to deliver home an enjoyable pop punk package that's eerily similar to what you could hear on a Frenzal Rhomb or on a Screeching Weasel record, but that's also the point. There's nothing flashy, nothing pretentious, nothing out-of-the-ordinary when it comes to the instrumentals or the vocals, just fun, catchy melodies that are easy to sing along and get into already on first listen.

"So Simple" opens the record following the philosophy of its title with an incredibly simple sing along chorus, but it works because it's both infectious and delivered in textbook no-frills pop punk manner. "Remedies" has a somewhat darker melody to start out with, but here too an upbeat tempo and a summery mood soon takes over, especially with the effect-laden guitar part after the first chorus. "Wreckage" on the other hand is as quintessential 20Belows as it gets with vocal lines gradually falling down in scale, a feat you've heard Basler use on every 20Belows releases thus far. "Plans" relies on a mid-tempo approach instead, even reaching down to balladic depths during its verses, offering a different look at the band than we've heard before. It's interesting, but not among their best material. "In Heavy Rain", on the other hand, is pure pop punk godhood with instantly memorable verse lines and lyrics about going out drinking and walking about in heavy rain, and the thoughts that revolve your mind in such a scenario. The guitar melodies are sugar-sweet, and the song just works.

At just thirteen minutes, the five tracks pace by you relatively quickly, but they prove once again that 20Belows are the best at this style in Denmark and one of the key European bands to follow if you're into the no-frills pop punk scene. They keep releasing one quality record after another, "Wreckage" being no exception. Solid, Danish pop punk ready for the FEST audiences across the pond.

Download: So Simple, Wreckage, In Heavy Rain
For the fans of: Frenzal Rhomb, Screeching Weasel, The Copyrights, The Priceduifkes
Listen: Facebook

Release date 21.03.2014
Self-Released