Adam KeysThe Bottom Line – I Still Hate You
Genre – Pop punk
Pop punk four piece The Bottom Line have got 2017 underway with the release of their highly anticipated EP, capturing the spirit of old school skate punk anthems in the process.
This release will take you right back to the early naughties, with the sounds of Simple Plan, Yellowcard and Sum 41 all ringing through.
Opening with Pull Me Out, this five track EP starts slowly, with a low key approach that is extremely raw. Driven from the back, the track sees a big focus placed on heavy drumming, with the racing guitars blending into the overall sound. Vocally, Pull Me Out is the weakest track on the album, and a deliberate lack of production springs to mind. This effectively under produced track manages to capture the raw spirit of a band who are trying to put their stamp on the live scene, rather than a polished debut release, and it works. The energy is there. The passion is there, and it screams of a band finding their feet whilst learning their instruments in a typical DIY style – the way it used to be!
The EP’s title track I Still Hate You is the ultimate feel good throwback – think Simple Plan’s Welcome To My Life crossed with Yellowcard’s Ocean Avenue. Vocally, The Bottom Line have adopted the classic American sound that was made popular by the likes of New Found Glory and Blink almost twenty years ago, and it’s safe to say they’ve mastered it already.
Much like I Still Hate You, A Little Much is a nostalgia filled number that will bring back fond memories for fans in their mid to late twenties, whilst also capturing the imagination of younger pop punk fans in their early teens. Not only will it bring back fond memories, it will be very relatable to music fans to this day. This track discusses the never ending battle of drinking too much on a night out – something music fans can more than relate to.
On first listen, this EP is unlikely to blow you away. It’s nothing new. It doesn’t really take the genre further. But, it is fun! It’s easy to listen to. The choruses are catchy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and it will bring back plenty of youthful memories for fans who probably entered their first mosh pit to skate punk anthems.
RUSHONROCK RATED – 7/10 A throwback to a more simple time
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