The world needs more bands like Broadway Calls. While I love really poppy pop-punk as much as the next guy, I actually got brought up on Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph skate punk; the type of bands who didn’t really sing about high school sweethearts and have song titles longer than the sum total of some of the lyrics. Broadway Calls have a The Draft-esque feel to them, albeit in a much, much more melodic way. And that’s shorthand for me saying this band are super ace.
This self-titled record is a really, really fun album. It’s not sickly sweet yet still has some really kick-ass melodies. ‘Back To Oregon’ even has a cool guitar solo. It’s the sort of album that you’ll be singing along at the top of your lungs without even realising, having that very special knack of suckering you in without doing it in an obvious way. And granted, the intro to ‘Classless Reunion’ does sound like My Chemical Romance, but that is the closest you’re going to get to any kind of theatrical side – this is just one set of hard rockin’ amigos that love to sing bright pop-punk songs that remain memorable a few weeks – and hopefully months – later.