Essex based four-piece THE HYPE THEORY may just represent the epitome of the “Paramore Curse”; an unavoidable comparison in music journalism comparing the upstarts to the female fronted power-pop megastars. In the case of ‘Glory Days’ this comparison is not entirely unjustifiable, with the basic sound owing a lot to the earlier releases of Hayley Williams and co. In fact, vocally Katy Jackson not only shares extremely similar vocal chords to Miss Williams, but it appears at time a number of vocal stylings and pronunciations are more than borrowed. However, with Paramore proving to be one of the most successful pop-punk bands in recent years, a vocal comparison to a lady who can undoubtedly belt a tune should not necessarily be read into as a negative point.
Paramore comparisons aside, THE HYPE THEORY have debuted with an intensely catchy LP, showcasing not only Katy’s excellent vocals but also the musical talent of all four members. Although the musicianship may not be the most complex, there has been evident consideration into the formation of the tracks, filling the album with more than its fair share of radio friendly hits and dance floor fillers. Any of the songs off ‘Glory Days’ would easily get pop-punk fans of all ages moving, intentionally or not. Even the token ballad (‘Where We Started’) could encourage a mass sing-a-long, encouraged once again by the impressive lead vocals.
THE HYPE THEORY have developed an emotive yet energetic sound, and ‘Glory Days’ is no-frills female fronted pop rock focussing almost entirely on the fun aspect of the genre, complete with the occasional group-chant or seemingly required “woo-hoo’s”. A definite listen for those more geared towards the “pop” in pop-punk.
BEN TIPPLE