Review Summary: (Em)power(ed) pop
THICK (guitarist Nikki Sisti, bassist Kate Black, and drummer Shari Page) have been releasing music together since 2014, but I only recently discovered them through their signing to Epitaph Records. I don’t usually follow Epitaph signees, but this one caught my interest a bit. For one, the band played energetic pop punk with a garage edge, a sound that holds a bit of nostalgic importance to me. As I assume it does for virtually every loser kid in 1997. So from the very beginning, THICK had me interested. After checking out their discography, I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed. While I enjoyed their independent releases, their first on Epitaph (2019’s self-titled EP) didn’t really do much to excite. After that, I relegated the band to the back of my mind and continued onto the next band on my ever-expanding ‘bands to check’ list.
Just a little under a year later, THICK returned with a full-length record, 5 Years Behind. After putting it off for a few days, I decided to finally check it; probably for completion’s sake, more than anything. Then I listened to it again. And again. And by the time I finished my 10th go-around, it dawned on me that they had put out a damn solid record that rides the line between pop and punk with ease.
Songs like “Sleeping Through the Weekend” and “Fake News” are clear nods to the past that manage to bring a more current approach to the songwriting and lyrics. In my opinion, power pop should always put simplicity first. So many bands now try to blend every genre they even-somewhat enjoy into their sound, to varying degrees of success. But THICK seem to understand that all you truly need to make it through is enough attitude and punch to get the crowd singing along. 5 Years Behind’s relatively short runtime (27 minutes) gets you in and out fast enough that you won’t be able to help yourself to an immediate repeat listen.
I wish I could say that it was all as good as the aforementioned tracks, the album does slump a bit in the second half. The run from “WHUB” to “Can’t Be Friends” comes to mind, slowing things down (if only slightly). While the lyrics are solid throughout the album, I don’t think they’re strong enough to warrant this sort of emphasis put on them. Speaking of the lyrics, I can see them being a point of contention for some. For the most part, they’re your standard pop punk fare: parting, parents, alienation. But there are also current issues specific to women explored here, if only briefly. I suppose when you title songs “Fake News” and “Mansplain,” it’s probably confrontational by design. Not going to say whether that’s a bad or good thing cause I’m not a preacher. All things considered though, I think for an all-female, just-recently-signed-to-Epitaph band like THICK, it’s totally justifiable.
But really, 5 Years Behind isn’t out to set the world of fire. The big picture here is THICK are a new act to the eyes of the public. For some, this will be their first introduction to the band. And with 5 Years Behind, I couldn’t possibly imagine a better one. It’s their best work to date; a clear mission statement of sound and style. Prior to this album’s release, I put this band to the back of my mind. With this, they’re front and center.
