It’s unclear just how Philadelphia’s Beach Slang are feeling. At times their debut full-length proper feels upbeat, catchy and energetic, yet battling with introspection. It’s a wistful celebration, a collection of songs that are both happy and sad. A sound that finds roots in punk, but owes an equal amount to Springsteen-esque Americana. Springsteen on punk-rock steroids, perhaps.
‘The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us’ is a tale of exploration, of growing up. From opener ‘Throwaway’, vocalist Alex Snyder battles with a disposable society and nomadic urges. It’s a sentiment echoed in ‘Too Late To Die Young’, a story of despondency with an upbeat message. Even where Beach Slang are at their most bleak, it’s all worth fighting for.
Beach Slang clearly like to have fun. Gritty, gravelly, raspy fun. When Snyder sings “the night is young, the freaks are out” on ‘I Break Guitars’, they are just as likely to be singing about themselves. All tracks are dominated by relentless guitar soundscapes that echo shoegaze in their habitual existence yet with a damn sight more oomph, an energy that cements the band’s deviance. ‘Young & Alive’, the album’s ultimate affirmation, has a playfully eerie edge.
‘The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us’ never allows for comfort. It’s unconventional. Be it the pop-infused lead single, ‘Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas’ or the lyrically minimalistic ode to sexually explicit material ‘Porno Love’, all ten tracks showcase Beach Slang’s unashamed manipulation of the expected. This could have easily become an Americana by-numbers album, instead it shakes The Gaslight Anthem’s sound to its core.
Whether Beach Slang are feeling upbeat or downtrodden, they are going to make it damn difficult for anyone to find out. What is clear however, is that ‘The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us’ is packed with emotional juxtaposition, a densely light-hearted affair. A whisky soaked, hedonistic listen that never takes itself too seriously.
BEN TIPPLE