Jack The Envious, a four piece pop punk/alternative band based in London, formed in a really heartwarming way. Founding members Nir Perlman and Chuck Checkarov met while serving as commanders in the Israeli army, bonding over their love for music. A few years later, they formed the band and started belting out material, garnering a loyal fan base and local critical acclaim along the way. 2018 sees them unleash their new EP ‘Bleeding Honesty’ – five tracks of catchy choruses, big riffs and feel good vibes.
As an EP this is an obvious short listen, but it is definitely a sweet one. Every track is bursting with energy, as pop punk should. ‘Stay Silent’ is the perfect opener, setting the tone for everything that follows. The chunky guitars, pounding drums and hummable vocals area all on fire here, and continue to be throughout. ‘Alone’ is a slower number, crammed full of tasteful rises and falls and a soaring chorus that’s impossible to hate, whilst ‘Ride’ is the most ballad sounding track here, powering through three minutes of gigantic riffs and emotional vocals. The high point of the EP is lead single ‘Walk In The Dark’, an infectious cocktail of cool guitar licks, bouncy rhythms and very memorable vocals. This is a great little EP. Punchy, heartfelt and powerful in all the right places.
Jack The Envious are proving that they have a lot to give to the genre, though this EP isn’t particularly groundbreaking. This is without doubt a solid release, but it feels a little too familiar. It’s a little too obvious at times, with dynamic and direction changes happening at predictable points. That said, what this album does have is consistency. Every track has been well produced and well written, each providing a healthy dose of beloved pop punk – picture if All Time Low met Weezer in their early days, and you’ll be in the right ballpark. This may not be a game changer or bar setter, but ‘Bleeding Honesty’ shows off a band oozing with potential. Their future is bright, and this EP is the beginning of that future.
DAVE STEWART