Massachusetts is a state with a long, successful, history when it comes to pop punk bands. A Loss For Words, Four Year Strong and Transit all hail from the area and now one of the states’ newer bands, Ten Cents Short, have emerged. Their sophomore EP ‘Major Steps, Minor Setbacks’ builds on their 2015 release ‘All I Ever Wanted’ with the band progressing from generic, under-produced pop punk to a well produced, cleaner sound. With the genre so saturated the band have moved their music on to the next level with this release.
‘Beggars’, was co-written and produced with Alan Day of Four Year Strong and his influence adds a depth that was lacking on their debut EP. Dominated by the soaring backing vocals rather than sticky punk riffs, ‘Beggars’ indicates the band are willing to adopt new styles to find success in the industry. The track oozes skill and growth from where the band were two years ago and is without doubt the EP standout.
Chris Piquette (Lions Lions) produced the remainder of the EP and although none of the four tracks reach the level of ‘Beggars’ there are some highlights, whether it be the hooks in ‘Setback’ or the opening melodic chords of ‘Higher Powers’. It’s difficult though to suggest the tracks are genre defining. There is little to set them aside from other bands in the same style, however, the EP distinguishes Ten Cents Short from other generic records released in the last six months.
Pop punk’s purpose is to be fun, to be a release from society, and Ten Cents Short achieve this across the five tracks on ‘Major Steps, Minor Setbacks’. Typically, the genre feels lazy and rushed, yet the way in which the five tracks flow shows that thought has gone into the production. It has an energy that has been missing in pop punk for some time; even when every track has a dark message, you can dance, you can sing and feel the problems the world faces at present slip away. Ten Cents Short’s sophomore EP is one of growth and learning for the band. If they continue in this style, who knows, it might be them that are discussed among the pop punk greats of Massachusetts.
ADAM GRAVER