Album Review: State Champs – Around The World And Back
2 min read
Truly committed to the pop punk scene, State Champs, the well-traveled lads from State Champs are proving more and more why they’re such hot commodities with the release of their second full length album Around The Work And Back. This release sees a powerful balance between recording and performing, with each track full of energy, intense drums and electric riffs that really tell a story.
Starting Around The World And Back on a strong note is Eyes Open, which continues to lead single Secrets nicely. Secrets is a bold tune that is pretty much the epitome of pop punk. It’s got a steady rhythm making it an upbeat tune weighed down by the recounting of a broken relationship and the frustration and angst of the lyrics “because I dropped my forgiveness, it’s lying face down on the floor”. Keeping on similar wavelengths are songs and anthems for those going through testing times, All You Are Is History and Breaking Ground. Both are bold tunes full of foot stomping drum beats and electric licks that you can’t help but belt out.
Slowing down the pace a little is title track and acoustic dream Around The World And Back: dialled down to simple chords it makes for a beautiful duet. Leading lady of the song is Ansley Newman of Jule Vera, lending her own stellar vocals to play with Derek DiScanio’s the pair do nothing but compliment one another with their voices soaring above acoustic riffs to really play into the emotion. Rounded out with lyrics that hit the heart strings “I’m falling in love and it’s scaring me, it came to me in a dream. Now all that’s left is our empathy”.
State Champs have proved that if you’ve got the perfect formula for a pop punk release there’s no such thing as a sophomore slump. Around The World And Back shows the sheer amount of experience these lads have found on their worldwide adventures and turned that into a solid album full of gritty bangers and delectable pop inspired vocals.
