BOSS’ DAUGHTER – Okay Photography EP

Formed in 2014, US punks Boss’ Daughter [sic] quickly became one of the hardest working bands on the underground scene. During their first eight years together, they’ve played hundreds of shows and shared stages with now legendary bands like Pennywise, Rise Against and The Ataris. Although their studio output seems a little scant by comparison, this two tracker takes the band to the next level, since the vinyl edition technically makes them labelmates with No Fun At All, The Venomous Pinks and skate/pop punk heroes Pulley.

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NE’ER DO WELL – Fun Days EP

Described as Motley Crue meets Fall Out Boy, Ne’er Do Well is a project helmed by singer/songwriter Bryan Rolli. This debut EP is a superb showcase of a versatile one man band, dropping massive chorus hooks against a variety of equally massive riffs, on a short rollercoaster journey that never sells the listener short when it comes to excitement. Granted, a lot of Rolli’s influences are laid on with a trowel, but it’s what he does with those that counts, and this release makes a lot of familiar sounds feel really sparky. What’s more, it’s always clear that the performer really believes in the material.

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BABY GOT BACK TALK – Existential Shred EP

On their second release, 2018’s ‘Up In Open Arms’, New York’s Baby Got Back Talk showed themselves as being smarter than your average pop punk band. By trading in the usual juvenile humour for a socially conscious lyrical output and applying their messages to a musical backdrop that mixed the punky elements with a dose of emo, pop and occasional ska inflected basslines, the release covered a lot of ground in a very short time, and in a very mature way. Its use of vocal filters wouldn’t have suited everyone, but in terms of riffs and hooks, it was clear that this young band had a lot going in their favour.

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SUMMER YEARS – You Can’t Live There Forever EP

San Diego’s Summer Years first appeared on the collective radar of pop punk fans in the summer of 2021 when the video for their debut single ‘This Light’ premiered on YouTube. In barely three minutes, that track – and its accompanying visuals – presented the young band, not only as great players, but also one keen to share an important message.

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RONX – Retrograde EP

Hailing from The Bronx, NY, Ronx bill themselves as a pop punk band influenced by blink-182. Their output is actually far more varied than that, though, and – in ways both good and bad – their 2022 EP ‘Retrograde’ actually presents three tracks that sound like the work of three different bands. Fans of straight up pop punk will discover an instant banger; those with an emo heart will unveil a tune with a fine melodic angst and an important message, and – for their third instalment – Ronx reach deep for a slab of rhythmic pop that it’s hard to imagine any of their pop punk or emo-centric audience will ever truly love. Chances are, they won’t even like it.

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