Hot Mulligan

I Won't Reach Out To You EP

Written by: PP on 20/07/2021 20:11:48

After such an explosive sophomore album last year that led to meteoric success for the band, it just doesn't make sense why Hot Mulligan opts to soften their stance on new EP "I Won't Reach Out To You". It's as if someone sat down at a table with them and said, hey boys, you can't scream like that anymore. No, those rough edges need to be smoothed out, else this won't fly on the radio. You got it guys?

Because what do you get when you remove the urgency, immediacy, and most of The Story So Far-style emotional overload from the mix? And while you're at it, why not polish the heck out of your soundscape overall as well? I'll tell you what: a poor man's Real Friends or The Wonder Years.

Harsh words? Maybe. But the course taken here by Hot Mulligan is in the wrong direction. The world is already jam-packed with dime-a-dozen emotive pop punk bands that you can't distinguish from one another; we don't need another one (incidentally also the case with the new Real Friends material since the departure of their longtime vocalist).

The good news is that while I don't like the softer and more polished thought of Hot Mulligan one bit (I want them to write dynamic melodies that have dudes and dudettes flying off of the walls and pillars of small clubs), not all is lost yet. "Featuring Mark Hoppus" is a catchy piece, and the closing track "Please Don't Cry, You Have Swag" features an anthemic, dramatic finish with Sandville's signature coarse screams in the background. Likewise, "Losing Days" is decent: it's an emotionally charged pop punk track that echoes influence from Real Friends and perhaps also Spanish Love Songs. But heed this advice: bring back the strained, impassioned screams that made "You'll Be Fine" such a brilliantly energetic, in-your-face record. Without them, the hype will end, and you'll end up a Wonder Years clone.

7

Download: Featuring Mark Hoppus, Losing Days
For the fans of: The Wonder Years, Real Friends, Spanish Love Songs
Listen: Facebook

Release date 28.05.2021
Wax Bodega

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