Action/Adventure

Pulling Focus EP

Written by: PP on 04/10/2021 20:17:48

Chicago-based Action/Adventure has been releasing high-energy, explosive pop punk EPs for quite a few years now, where "Pulling Focus" is their latest addition to the scene. It's the kind of record that reels you in through summery hooks and in-your-face vocals that balance a tightrope between equal measures of hardcore and pop punk influence with a couple of intricate guitar lines in between.

Sounds familiar? That's because you'll find a variation of the same on records by The Story So Far or Knuckle Puck. But if we're to drill in a little closer, the vocals are delivered with an emotional tinge that you might recognize from The Wonder Years, albeit with less melancholy and more coarse edge attached. Energy-wise, Action/Adventure source from a similarly bouncy and upbeat expression as the Set Your Goals cult classic "Mutiny!" - particularly on "Club 27", while elsewhere you wouldn't be crucified for stating "Pulling Focus" EP is effectively a slightly heavier and more aggressive version of Fall Out Boy's debut album "Take This To Your Grave". Getting nostalgic throwbacks to Living With Lions on circa-"Holy Shit" isn't unreasonable either.

That's a lot of band comparisons to include in one review, but that is simply to highlight that Action/Adventure is a derivative of all these groups and then some. That isn't necessarily a bad thing as such, however, it does mean you'll constantly wondering whether you shouldn't be listening to their sources of inspiration instead. But at the same time, most of those bands aren't playing anymore or have changed drastically from their summery party-starting origins, so that leaves obvious room for Action/Adventure to expand into, especially for the younger pop punk generation who weren't around when many of the referenced records were originally released. And, to be fair, songs like the title track, "Barricades" and "Poser" are infectiously catchy in their own right, so there's also that.

Download: Poser, Club 27, Pulling Focus
For the fans of: The Story So Far, Like Pacific, Living With Lions, Knuckle Puck, Set Your Goals, (old) Fall Out Boy, Four Year Strong
Listen: Facebook

Release date 30.04.2021
Pure Noise Records

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