By now, readers have probably noticed that I review quite a few pop punk releases. This review is also on a pop punk band’s release, a band that I’ve been following since I came across their It’s Going Well… EP last year.
Be Easy, a four piece hailing from Georgia, has been around for a few years and they have played shows with some well-known pop punk bands like Man Overboard, Transit, and Handguns. Their debut EP was solid and I immediately recognized the potential of the band, but the material wasn’t as polished as I like it to be, so I kind of forgot about their existence. Luckily, I came across a new song a few months ago and Be Easy lured me in again. Their new album, I Hope You Hear Me, is set to release on December 18th via Famined Records and it is exactly what I was hoping for: a much more polished and mature pop punk release that is very well-written.
The first few tracks are very solid pop punk songs that impressed me greatly. As it goes along, though, I Hope You Hear Me starts to pick up even more steam. “Drive Thru Life” is the track that sets things off for me. “Drive Thru Life” is full of great riffs and catchy and strong vocals/lyrics that never let up. I Hope You Hear Me continues to impress after “Drive Thru Life”, too. Four of the last five tracks (“Raindance”, the acoustic interlude titled “Bury Me”, “Drowning”, and the album closer titled “Dilemma”) are my personal favourites on the album.
“Raindance” is the epitome of an excellent pop punk song. The riffs are melodic, the drumming is particularly impressive and very upbeat, and the vocals are extremely catchy. On top of all of that, there are a few spectacular interludes/bridges in “Raindance”. Next up is “Bury Me”. Clocking in at three and a half minutes, it may seem like an acoustic track that ruins the flow of the album, but it actually fits perfectly. Not only does it fit perfectly, but it’s one of the most well-written acoustic songs I have ever heard from a pop punk band. From the previous paragraph, it may seem like my favourite tracks were going to be “Raindance” and “Bury Me”, but I liked the eighth and tenth tracks even more. “Drowning” is the perfect example of what this band is about; melodic riffs, pounding drums, and catchy vocals that are sometimes reminiscent of Set Your Goals’ Jordan Brown. The final track, “Dilemma”, is my absolute favourite, though. It starts off sounding like an unreleased Citizen track, but Be Easy adds their own touch several times throughout the song – especially during the best chorus heard on the album – to ensure that no one does mistake the last song for Citizen.
As previously mentioned, Be Easy does kind of ease into the album, but when their true potential starts to show, you’ll be left in a state of awe. The only issue that I have with I Hope You Hear Me is that the production and mixing isn’t quite as good as it could be. The drumming sounds slightly hollow, and at the same time, a bit too overpowering. On the other hand, the guitars, vocals, and bass are mixed together seamlessly.
With raw production that can be likened to that of Handguns’ Don’t Bite Your Tongue, riffs and chords that are strikingly similar to what you would have if you combined The Story So Far’s Under Soil And Dirt and Real Friends’ discography, a plethora of guitar melodies that keeps things more than interesting, and undeniably catchy lyrics and vocals, Be Easy’s I Hope You Hear Me has something for every fan of pop punk. Even after taking its minor flaws into consideration, it’s an excellent pop punk release; maybe one of the best of 2012.
All in all, Be Easy has crafted something very special with their debut full length, and I was honestly surprised by how they improved so much since they released their EP about a year ago. If you’re a fan of any of the bands that I’ve mentioned (or pop punk in general), I urge you to check out this album when it drops.
Links: Facebook – Pre-Order
