Reviewed by Kindred Winecoff
Never the Less probably listen to a lot of Pennywise. Well, I listen to a lot of Pennywise, and Never the Less seem to follow the same, aggressive, heavy-but-still-catchy style of punk rock. They call themselves (or someone else calls them) 'melodi-core,' but I'm not sure why. It's pretty much straight-up punk. Mixing up the beats a little bit, makes a welcome change from the Ramones school of punk, and the octave guitar leads (on such songs as "Upside Down" and "Hero") keep the songs from sliding into boredom.

Trevor Garvey's vocals are clean and clear, and the beats are always intelligent and well done. Samples are used throughout the album, and serve several functions. On such songs as "Some Other Time," they introduce the song. At other times, they don't seem to serve much of a purpose at all.

Overall, this album is solid, and at times very good. Never the Less have no problems pulling off their lightening-fast stops and starts, and they can play technically when needed, and hard as nails when that is called for. The versatility of Never the Less is a testament to how well these kids are doing. Look out for them in the future.
Ordering info : www.boottohead.com

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