Smiley In A Suit and ‘Grandmas Patience’.
Smiley In A Suit – Delbrück, Germany.
Pop-Punk, the genre that simply won’t die. Now, I don’t mean that in a negative light wholly as despite a great deal of cookie-cutter bands there is some strength and variety and even bands who are very samey or generic can often do so well enough to negate any criticism. In short, it’s a mixed bag.
This is where Smiley In A Suit come in. Do you yearn for the classic rhythms of Green Day, Blink-182 and Sum 41? A time where the three household names were on every radio, DJ set and music channel? A time where they released quality record after quality record inspiring the next generation? Well, this German three-piece do have it’s really been testing Grandma’s Patience.
Before we start, although this debut EP well written, it is hampered by the disadvantages so common in young and underground bands in regard to recording and general production. So, for the purpose of this review these aspects of clarity will be disregarded as a given.
In fact, with ‘Go’ the band sound more akin to the 77’+ inspirations upon those earlier Pop-Punk days than they do what they are heading for and it is not until ‘Take Off’ where dated but smile inducing classic Green Day-esque rhythms take over on a track firmly and happily stuck in the past.
‘One Last Word To Say’ is the longest on this debut EP and it is very much a pining Pop-Punk love song. Sadly, the track does suffer a little vocally in a way not as noticeable with the band’s more classically toned Pop-Punk songs. That said, the slightly dual layered vocals are again very classic Green Day inclined and enjoyable in a track trying to find itself.
‘That Is Why’ improves proceedings by cutting the time in half and beginning with an intro lovingly reminiscent of Half Hour Of Power crossed with just the right amount of infantile Blink-182 alongside some solid genealogy from the Ramones. ‘That Is Why’ takes you back to time where you spent more time falling off your Skateboard than you did actually on it but it didn’t matter because you were carefree and Pop-Punk was still drawing from the past in all the right ways.
Im not going to lie, this EP is hampered, but it’s fun and it is clearly the product of a band having an absolute time. Smiley In A Suit care nothing for Grandma’s outdated ears, her patience or the struggles of a young band, for those will pass in time. Smiley In A Suit are all about the buzzsaw guitars, vintage guitar tones and playing Punk music in loving adoration to their heroes.
Or something like that.
Find them:
- Social Media/Updates: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Official Website.
- Music: bandcamp, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify.
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