Give and Take is a emo/pop punk band from Indianapolis whose sound can be described as a fusion of Balance and Composure, Citizen, and some older Transit material. If you’re a fan of the genre, or any of the bands I listed above, you are in the right place. The band’s first effort, a self-titled ep, was recently released on Bandcamp for purchase. The ep contains 3 full-band songs, and one acoustic track.
Starting off “Daze”, Give and Take begins their debut EP very strong. This song is a great showcase of what the band has to offer. From the fast, upbeat punk rock sections, to the slower, more melodic emo influenced vibes, this track shows off what Give and Take is all about. In a sea full of new up-and-coming bands in this genre who seem to be trying too hard to be Title Fight, Balance and Composure, or Basement, this band stands out immensely. Sure “Daze” has some of those same vibes you know and love from bands like the ones I just stated, but Give and Take seems to have their own little twist.
Following “Daze” is track two, which is titled “Left Alone”. The band recently released a live video for the song which can be seen here. One thing that stood out to me in this song was the transitions. Everything seemed to just flow so smoothly. The vocal performance in this song is probably my favorite on the entire ep. “Left Alone” just has this anger to it, not to mention the lyrics are extremely relatable.
Next up was track three, “Waiting”. This song starts off a little slower than the first two. Musicianship is the motor behind this song. While listening I found it hard to believe that this was a fresh, unsigned band. Everything about this song makes Give and Take very deserving of a successful future. The little parts towards the end with just drums and vocals give me chills every time. After three extremely solid emo/pop punk tracks, I was very eager to hear how this band would pull off an acoustic song. I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous because this band seems so comfortable with the sounds present in tracks 1-3. “Worried Sick” really surprised me. The song has some extremely catchy melodies. Also, the back and forth male/female vocals work extremely well. “Worried Sick” is everything an acoustic song by a band of this genre should be.
Overall, Give and Take is a very young and talented band. Like I said before, this genre seems to be getting overcrowded by Title Fight and Basement ripoffs very fast. This band however, is a breath of fresh air. While Give and Take has those catchy hooks relateable to Balance and Composure, they still put their own twist on the sound. I believe this band could go very far, given the chance. I’m very pleased with this release, and I am looking forward to Give and Take’s future releases. When it comes down to it, anyone who is looking for something refreshing/new in the emo/pop punk/punk genre, you should definitely check out Give and Take.
Links: Facebook
