I first came across Amber Pacific on purevolume and took an instant liking to them – their brand of chirpy pop-punk had more substance than many of the bands in their genre and that appealed to me. After all, summer is coming up and there’s absolutely nothing better in the world than having the sun shine and some fantastic, happy music on the stereo. ‘The Possibility and The Promise’ certainly fits that bill – this is an album choc-full of riffs and melodies that are dying to be sung along to.
I’d go as far as saying this could end up creeping up on everyone and being a hit from under the radar. ‘Everything We Were Has Become What We Are’ and ‘Poetically Pathetic’ are great songs that instantly hit the spot – Matt Young has a very sugary vocal, yet the guitars have a rougher edge about them which makes them suit the faster pace the band like. ‘Postcards’ has a fantastic drum pattern which literally explodes from the speakers in a traditional So-Cal skate-punk style – for a minute I thought I was listening to ten Foot Pole. ‘Gone So Young’ is a little too Simple Plan-esque for my liking, however, and probably the radio hit too. Wait and see…
Little-known producer Martin Feveyear will surely have work flooding in on the back of this record – it’s thick and sugar-coated, but there’s a bite and crunch in the guitars and drums which stick out. ‘The Right To Write Me Off’ has extra bite musically, while ‘Falling Away’ comes across a bit like Audio Karate without the Mexican-isms. Hopeless have discovered a little gem in Amber Pacific and I’m surprised the internet hyping machines are not yet in overdrive for them. I’m pretty sure they soon will be, lets put it that way. If you like your music melodic and injected with a little pace, then this is the perfect summer record.
www.amberpacific.com
Hopeless Records
Paul