Album Reviews

Our bird-loving friends in AVEM have released their sophomore album, out now via Bearded Punk Records, Faster And Louder Records, Scuderie Records, and Bloated Kat Records. It's self-titled and jam-packed with 15 new tracks.

Are they any good, you ask? They absolutely are. Just check out the opening one-two punch of "Heart Upside Down" and the downright beautiful "Another Trumpet Flower Please Good Sir." This is pure pop-punk bliss: bursting with energy, packed with infectious melodies, and overflowing with vocal harmonies.

And because it's AVEM, there are, of course, songs about birds instead of songs about girls. Sure, girls have occasionally been referred to as "birds," which only adds to the confusion, but here we're talking about our feathered friends. Yes, it's a gimmick, but as far as gimmicks go, it's a brilliant one. Not because it's built on endless bird puns, but because AVEM genuinely write great songs about birds that touch on environmental themes, loss, hope, and other surprisingly relatable emotions. Trust me, it works far better than I can explain.

I was already sold the moment I heard Three Birds Stoned, but they've really raised the bar this time. Think everything you love about Teenage Bottlerocket, the classic Fat Wreck bands of the '90s, or an ornithologically inclined version of Blink-182, and you're on the right track.

Looking for a pop-punk song in French? They've got you covered with "Soupe Ortolan." Want a heartfelt anthem with harmonies that should be cheesy but somehow aren't? Check out "Come Back To Me." Craving something a little more aggressive? "Shrike" delivers, before giving way to the lightning-fast ode to the American kestrel that follows. Then the album shifts gears with the album’s most moving song, "One Lonely Dove."

Even at 15 songs, the album covers a remarkable amount of ground without ever dragging. It positively flies by (sorry, I had to) thanks to impeccable pacing, an endless supply of killer melodies, and chorus after chorus that sticks in your head. As their Canadian pop-punk brethren once said: all killer, no filler.

AVEM track listing:

1. Heart Upside Down
2. Another Trumpet Flower Please My Good Sir
3. Eat You From The Inside Out 
4. Hovering
5. Fire Kingdom
6. Soupe Ortolan
7. Come Back To Me
8. Chickadee
9. Shrike
10. American Kestrel
11. One Lonely Dove
12. Never Going Back Inside
13. Rinse And Repeat
14. Swim With Me
15. Turning Back Around