Review Summary: Major League has created an EP that is catchy, fun and undeniably great.
I have this theory that people take music to seriously sometimes. Just because a band has a chorus similar to another or does some things that may be considered “cliché”, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun while listening to them. We pick apart songs and bands so much that eventually we lose what makes music mean so much to people like me, the pure fun of listening and singing along. Pop-punk is one of those genres that mean so much to me, because I can sit back and enjoy the pure innocence of it. New Jersey based pop-punk group Major League are one of those bands I can listen to all day, and never get tired of. “The Truth Is” is in fact the band’s first lengthy EP, and it really showcases what this band is able to accomplish.
The band has come very far since the change of vocalist a while back, their big single ‘Hometown Heroes’ has been played on multiple Phillies game and their management team has done some huge things for them including them playing on MTV. All this hasn’t gotten to the bands head though, for the music they create is undeniably catchy and so much fun to listen to. This is all apparent with the first song ‘I Don’t Like You What So Ever’ which begins with a small clip of ‘Hometown Heroes’ and fades right into a fast and catchy guitar section. As you listen to the song, you notice how easy it is to get into these guys. The great vocals, gang shouts and easy to sing along with chorus makes this a great set up for the rest of the EP.
‘What You Make of It’ and ‘Take Me’ both feature extremely catchy choruses and show just how fun this band can really be. The music is fast and to some may sound like the majority of pop-punk bands out there, and maybe they do here and there, but it’s fun and that’s reason enough to ignore any flaws. ‘Six Ways to Lie’ starts out slower and keeps a slowed down pace throughout, but it’s one of the best songs on the EP. The lyrics are easy to relate to, the chorus is big and it shows that the band can slow things down enough to still make it fun. ‘Head Up Kid!’ is an anthem to people like me who love to live their life and have fun. The energy in this song is amazing and it would be so fun to listen to live.
‘From States Away’ and ‘The Truth Is’ do a great job of closing the EP. ‘From States Away’ is a little slower than anything we’ve heard yet, but features a great chorus and guitar riff to back it up. ‘The Truth Is’ maintains what has made the rest of the EP so fun, high energy and a great amount of fun through the entire song. My biggest problem with this EP is the fact that a few times through the listen, I found myself thinking about how repetitive some of these tracks can get. You can never deny fun, but a lot of moments throughout sound the same and that makes it very difficult for each and every song to stand out on it’s own.
Beyond that one problem though, Major League has a lot going for them. “The Truth Is…” is such a fun listen through and through that it really makes me wonder what the band will do with any future releases. They will go far, and they’ll do it with style, but I really feel honored to know that I’ve watched this band evolve into what they are and forever will fans like me, and their home state of Jersey be there to back them up in whatever they do.
