*DISCLAIMER - We were given this record early by
the band and that in no way affects our opinion overall.*
In recent years it could be argued that the UK has been unrivaled in the pop punk field. Amazing acts such as Neck Deep and As It Is have came through the ranks and thoroughly cemented themselves as powerhouses in the genre.
However, it always seemed that Scotland was lacking in terms of having a powerful pop punk band. Look no further than Woes.
The last two years have been hectic for Woes. Not only did they start their band, they immediately went out on tour with some of the biggest names in the industry. Neck Deep, Seaway and State Champs to name a few.
Now fully cemented as Scotland's "face of pop punk" the band return with their eagerly awaited debut record, 'Awful Truth'.
The album opens with short track 'Boy', a short intro to the record before it launches into the first full length song. 'Fake Friends' has no hesitations in getting right in your face. The catchy chorus of "I'm just a failure" is a total ear worm.
Moving through the record, songs like ‘Fancy’ and ‘Awful Truth’ show the progression of Woes since they started. They are well produced pop punk songs, with backing tracks so intricate it is almost easy to miss them.
The production of the record is easily noticeable straight away. It is clear that 100% of Woes time and effort has gone into creating such an intricate record.
Long time live favourite 'Moneyshoe' finally gets its recorded release on this record as well. It was the release that fans were most excited to hear from the record, but the rest of the songs overshadow it completely.
It's a good song, but tracks like ‘Awful Truth’, ‘Fake Friends’ and ‘Suburbs’ completely outshine it. This shows the talent Woes have - the effort they have put in to creating a beautiful debut.
The back half of the album is a completely different listen to the first. ‘Cross’ is a track like no other. It ditches the pop punk and is more inspired by emo rap (Lil Peep etc).
The autotune and backing track really make the song unique, and something different for fans of Woes to get stuck in to. It's a totally unique track and doesn't sound like Woes at all. It is such an interesting move to make, especially in a time when people stick a label on everything.
But this move has paid off. ‘Cross’ fits in on the record perfectly and just feels like it belongs on there. Tracks like ‘Mess’ and ‘Ugly’ offer a slower style of pop punk. They both gradually build up in small sections before launching into their choruses.
The technicality of the instruments in these tracks is second to none, and the scale of the production is something rarely seen on a pop punk record. ‘Awful Truth’ is a breathtaking record. It is a breath of fresh air in both the pop punk and Scottish scenes.
The long awaited debut from Woes is released this Friday, and it does not disappoint and the future is looking very bright for the four guys as they prepare to capture the world.
8.5/10
Woes are David Jess (vocals), Sean Duddy (vocals, bass), Ryan Neish (drums) and Luke Bovill (guitar).
Find Woes on socials below as well as the last remaining tickets to this Friday's album launch party in The Garage (Attic) in Glasgow.
Twitter: twitter.com/woesuk
Facebook: facebook.com/woesuk
Tickets: here
Comments