Review Summary: Nothing really feels overdone, but they don't skimp on the details either, a happy medium is achieved here.
If You Can't Join 'Em Beat 'Em (EP) is the third effort from
Thanks To You. Noticeably different is the apparent finish this album has. Nothing really feels overdone, but they don't skimp on the details either, a happy medium is achieved here.
Thanks To You consider themselves a Rock/Post Hardcore/Pop Band. But lets be honest... They're a Hardcore/Pop-Punk band.
The EP begins with
We'll Always Have The Summer which opens with a nice little heavy section that really gives off a tremendous amount of energy, and gets you excited or the album in a good way. That leads into their sung vocals, which complement the the hardcore parts well, as it continues and feeds off the energy the growls set in place. There is a decent amount of vocal layering in this track however, which diminishes it just a bit, but otherwise this is a high energy opening track which is a plus in my mind.
We then get
What Part of "Yes" Don't You Understand.This is easily my personal favorite track as it is easily the most hardcore song on the EP. The added gang vocals add a great dimension to the track, and the sung vocals are short, and sweet, but do their job. Another bonus is that the breakdown(s) feel like a complement to the music. The best part of this song comes after the three minute mark when you hear a nice little drum section that leads into the lyrics "Shut Your F**king Mouth". This section uses a very catchy guitar riff and the drums and bass accent it beautifully. Not to mention it's highly catchy.
Forty Girls, Five Knights is the first track to lead in with sung vocals, and is the second least heavy track on the EP consisting of mostly sung vocals. The hardcore sections just seem to be a bonus. The track itself doesn't really give off a ton of energy as the other songs do, but this is a nice cooldown track that doesn't completely make you want to stop listening, as I have found with alot of other "filler or cooldown" songs as this is still catchy enough to enjoy.
We get If You Can't Join 'Em is the first track to lead in with gang vocals, which sound very nice and pleasant. This track also utilizes a lot of sung vocals, including almost punk sounding vocals thrown in as well, mostly during the first minute or so of the song. If there were any track to springboard these guys it would be this one, because the chorus is quite catchy, and there are a lot of sing along, gang vocal sections. This track also features a decent guitar solo which is placed well in the track, and adds a nice variety as well. This is an incredibly catchy track. Don't get fooled though this track features a very good breakdown at the end of the song.
That's My Beach Towel! is next(this song always reminds me of Towelie" and opens up with the lyrics " You Dirty Tramp", and the whole beginning is really heavy, and the vocals for it sound great(similar to the small part they were used in If You Can't Join 'Em.) This song utilizes it's sung vocals while using heavy music, and it works well. I don't really enjoy the breakdown placement in this song really, the breakdown itself is decent, but it just feels off. A lot of this song is forgettable, but you really don't feel disappointed, and it's actually a semi change of pace from basically every other song on here.
Finally we end with
Bandits Three O'Clock High which opens with a pop-punk feel and tells you to "Sit Back and Relax" which is possible during this song. I enjoy the flow of this song, and this track is fairly even in growls/sung vocals, but the sung vocals just seem a tad better in this track. This is a fun track to listen to, and a very well rounded end to an EP. It's catchy, almost to the point of being watered down, but you'll love every minute of it. The vocals at the end are redundant, but you sure as hell will remember the song because of it.
Musically these guys shine in places, but generally it's nothing terribly special.
Pros:
-Each song brings something new to the table
-High Energy
-Everything in moderation
Cons:
-Some watered down vocals
-Some sections seemed out of place
