In 2023, US punks The Carolyn released ‘Harmful History’, an EP that provided a solid, if brief, insight into the band’s musical interests. The material made their love of The Ataris and The Gaslight Anthem rather apparent, but in terms of musicianship, the material was very strong.

In many ways, their 2025 release ‘Pyramid Scheme of Grief’ offers fans more of the same, but at times, the arrangements are tighter and the material more concise. This gives The Carolyn a serious amount of extra punch when required, without losing any of their songwriting focus.

Opening with hushed vocals and muted chords, ‘75mg Prologue’ eases everything in gently with a solid folk punk melody. Then, at the mid point, the louder electric elements kick in, and it becomes clear that – although the riffs feel a little more forceful – The Carolyn’s love for The Gaslight Anthem hasn’t waned in the interim. If anything, that love comes through even more strongly, and the harmony vocals that are employed for this very brief number’s main hook are superb. Flowing straight into ‘White Russians’, the band hit upon an early melodic streak, since the track’s first half is very Ataris-esque and a combo of crashy rhythms and very melodic vocals sets a typical Carolyn contrast in place almost immediately. The verse shares a solid sound with some great vocals, but it’s when slowing down for the number’s second half when The Carolyn adopt a sound that’s inspired by Face To Face and the largely overlooked alt rock band Mother May I that everything really starts to impress. The bass sound is great, and the unashamedly 90s melodies show how this band are keen to move beyond basic punk pop by numbers. At barely a minute and a half in length, this leaves no room for unnecessary padding, but with such a great melody at the track’s core, it perhaps feels a little too brief. At the point where the listener gets to grips with everything, the band choses to tail off and move on, ready to hit everyone with yet another very short, punky banger.

If ‘White Russians’ suggested a love for classic Ataris fare, then ‘And The Infinite Void’ lays it on with a trowel. The punchy rhythm and ringing guitars are a dead ringer for the ‘So Long Astoria’ era material, and coupled with a great gang vocal on the hook, it becomes an instant classic in melodic punk terms. Sure, it’s a little predictable – certainly formulaic for the style – but it shows off a tight musical unit at work, and gives this release an immediate stand out. ‘Faded In Roku City’ works a similar formula but adds a little extra punch via the drums. However, with a ringing guitar that sounds like something on loan from a Paul Q. Kolderie production from 1996 and a rousing vocal that invites an easy shout-along filling the middle of the track, anything formulaic can be easily overlooked. This presents the sound of a melodic punk band who are absolutely on fire. With a more spacious verse allowing for a softer edge, the band’s prior love for The Gaslight Anthem colours the brilliant ‘DOAD’, providing a very solid showcase for Andrew Patrick’s guitar playing and vocal skills, and even when this ultimately – and rather expectedly – leans into a punkier sound a little later, The Carolyn’s collective gift for a strong melody holds firm. By the close of the number, things have shifted from Gaslight influenced to late period No Use For A Name, but it’s hard to imagine any fans of melodic punk being in any way disappointed.

In contrast, ‘Hostile Manana’ offers something a little sharper around the edges, allowing Oliver Conlon’s bass to punch through everything, and for some great muted guitar to build tension along the way, and the ultra short ‘Remember Damage’ adds a relatively lo-fi moment for reflection, but it’s when reaching for the more melodic that The Carolyn really come into their own. On that front, ‘Routines’ is a clear standout – and worthy of an album purchase alone. Adding a huge jangly guitar to the Carolyn musical arsenal, this number sits squarely between the noisier US indie sounds of the 90s and the light end of melodic punk, but it really sells the band’s power trio stance. Harmony vocals flow through the centre of everything whilst drummer Dave Mulazzi trades in most of his usual crashiness to keep a steady rhythm and give the band a really solid backline. In many ways, it sounds like something you’ve always known, but it’s classic sound merely shows how The Carolyn are a cut above a lot of DIY punk bands.

With eleven tracks and with nothing exceeding the two and a half minute mark – and seven of those songs coming in at under two minutes – ‘Pyramid Scheme…’ rattles past in a flash. It’s definitely an exercise in pure energies, but when the material works – as it does in almost all cases – it provides a genuinely thrilling experience. At the time of release, with so many punk bands leaning towards a melodic hardcore sound or an indie infused emo, it’s fantastic to hear The Carolyn really championing the sounds of the mid 90s. Lovers of The Ataris, Face To Face, and the more melodic later works of No Use For A Name should definitely consider this a priority listen. Even with some Gaslight Anthem elements coming through, this is a relatively old school punky treat that shouldn’t be missed.

July 2025