As It Is Debut 'Never Happy, Ever After' Is Pop Punk At Its Finest

Brighton based pop punk five piece As It Is have already got multiple self-released EPs to their name, as well as a bunch of tours under their belts - so it’s no wonder they were snapped up by the one and only Fearless Records in October last year as their first ever UK band. No pressure then, as the band release their debut album ‘Never Happy, Ever After’ later than this month, produced by James Paul Wisner (Paramore, Dashboard Confessional).

And what an album it is! Packed with quality lyrical content and foot tapping hooks, it’s hard to believe this is a debut album. Explosive opener “Speak Soft” perfectly sets up the album, giving a hint of everything to come all packed into one song. The powerful singalong chorus is bound to be a hit when the boys take on Warped Tour this summer. A dash of gang vocals never goes amiss in pop punk, and “Cheap Shots & Setbacks” helps fill that quota - the band have just released a video for this track which you can check out below.

The fast paced power anthems are interspersed with softer deliveries like “My Oceans Were Lakes”, a beautiful track which begins as an acoustic number which I’m sure will have lighters in the air during live performances, before fluidly slipping into a full band chorus to tie the song up nicely.

Notable contenders for the catchiest song on the album are first single “Dial Tones” and “Concrete”, both of which perfectly blend the tones of vocalists Patty Walters and Ben Biss. I challenge anyone to listen to either of these songs without nodding along even on the initial play.

As previously mentioned, the band have hit the nail on the head with their blunt and honest lyrics, the classic heart-on-the-sleeve, savvy songwriting makes the whole album relatable and gives it an extremely personal feel. The boys have said that the album is basically “eleven sad songs”, but they are definitely some very well packaged sad songs, all tied up neatly with spot-on melodies.

The final song on the album, “You, the Room & the Devil on Your Shoulder”, is another gentle number and, in my opinion, easily the most gorgeous track on the whole record. The combination of stripped back soothing, almost whispery vocals and another dose of those raw lyrics makes for one of the nicest album closers I’ve ever heard, and seeing that song live has quickly become a goal of 2015 for me.

This album is new pop punk at it’s finest, and it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s no surprise that the band are rapidly climbing the popularity ladder, and the release of this killer record will undoubtedly send them even higher. ‘Never Happy, Ever After’ is due out on the 20th of April in the UK, make sure you check it out!

To find out more about As It Is click here.

To visit the As It Is Facebook page click here.

Words by Liss Parkes

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