Album Reviews

Awkward Phase
Eternal Boy - Awkward Phase
6.5
 on
Sunday, July 23, 2017 - 08:26
submitted by
Thomas

Pittsburgh’s Eternal Boy, previously known as The Spacepimps, aren’t out to reinvent the wheel. They just want to play the kind of pop-punk tunes they heard growing up. Back when the words pop-punk and Drive-Thru Records were uttered in the same breath.

 

So when “Clean Slate” or the Lit-like “Eighteen” let loose with blistering drum beats, slick riffs and angst-laden, melodic vocals, they come with an instant sense of familiarity. And most of all, they are catchy. And they sound good. Which is probably also thanks to producer Chris Badami, who has previously worked with the likes of The Early November, Hidden In Plain View and The Starting Line.

 

Yes, this is a throwback album. But that’s okay. As a matter of fact, in a time where every other band claims to have an original sound called experimental post-pop-indie-prog-punk or whatever the hell ‘active rock’ is supposed to be, it is actually kinda refreshing to listen to an album that takes you right back to your high school days.

 

Track listing:

  1. Clean Slate
  2. Growing Pains
  3. Freak Show
  4. So Pathetic
  5. Hung up on Hope
  6. Eighteen
  7. Harder to Stay
  8. Awkward Phase
  9. My Normal
  10. We Still Have Our Stories
  11. 7 Years Bad Luck
  12. Demons
Tom Dumarey
Tom Dumarey

Lacking the talent to actually play in a band, Tom decided he would write about bands instead. Turns out his writing skills are mediocre at best as well.