The UK’s answer to The Starting Line, Three Years Hiding have pretty much perfected the American pop-punk sound. Of course they’re about as American as pizza – they actually rise in the Midlands – but I always find pop-punk sounds really weird when it’s not sung with a distinct So-Cal nasal whinge. So 3YH fit in pretty well.
And in places this album, their first full length, is really good. ‘Panic Stations’, when it kicks in, is anthemic, with a strong vocal hook and plenty of background ‘woahs’. What the band lack in originality they certainly make up for in vigour, effort and energy – and at times in the quality of their songs. I do feel the constant guitar widdling intros to every song become a little bit dull, with the vocals often kicking in after 30 seconds. Making the tracks a little punchier at the outset would suit the band better in my opinion. That said, this is a pretty solid effort and, for the genre, certainly mixes it with the US heavyweights.