Since the release of their second EP entitled Everyone That Dragged You Here, there has been a lot of buzz in the pop punk community about Real Friends. It seems like almost everyone that listens to pop punk is a fan of Real Friends, and rightfully so. A few months after releasing their second EP, they released an acoustic EP that created an even bigger buzz. Now, Real Friends has released three more songs in the form of a demo/EP entitled Three Songs About The Past Year Of My Life. It’s currently streaming on the Glamour Kills website, and if you have even one ounce of pop punk in you, I strongly recommend listening to it right this instant.
The first track, “Dirty Water”, opens with an awesome chord progression and impressive drumming. After the incredible intro, there’s a little break that cues the lyric “If you wore your personality on your skin, no one would take a second look/You were shallow when we met, and you still are”. As the lyric reaches its end, there’s a drum roll that really sets “Dirty Water” off and hits you harder than you could possibly imagine. “Dirty Water” is probably the edgiest Real Friends song to date, but it still has that Everyone That Dragged You Here vibe that got them to where they are today.
Next up is “Hebron”. “Hebron” starts off in a similar way that “Skeletons” (This Is Honesty) does; the guitar is very calming, and so too are the vocals, but there is no percussion. As the track goes along, the intensity level slowly rises and it reaches its apex around the 1:40 mark when you’re suddenly introduced to a brief passionate hardcore yelling segment. I was extremely surprised to hear that at first, but I absolutely loved how it fits with the rest of the music and gives the listener something else to look forward to.
The final track, “Alexander Supertramp”, is my personal favourite. Clocking in at a mere minute and 26 seconds, it’s the shortest song in Real Friends’ catalogue, but it brings so much to the table. Right from the start, it just makes you want to go nuts. It’s fast-paced, it’s edgy like “Dirty Water”, and it’s melodic. The melody can be heard throughout the song, but it’s particularly highlighted in the last 30 seconds of the EP.
Several months ago, I reviewed Real Friends’ Everyone That Dragged You Here and gave it a perfect score. To this day, I still listen to that EP at least a few times every week and it’s one of my favourite pop punk releases of all time. Three Songs About The Past Year Of My Life is just over six minutes in length, but it has the same high replay value that Everyone That Dragged You Here does, and it is much more mature. Overall, it’s a huge step for a band that was already well on their way to stardom. I’m really excited to hear what Real Friends comes up with next, but at the same time, I’m kind of scared because I don’t think I’ll be ready for it.
Links: Facebook – Stream
