Militarie Gun : "God Save the Gun"

 It's been two years since I last heard these guys on "Life Under the Gun".When this album kicks in, they are more punk than I remember from the last time I checked them out. It sounds big and dumb, but is fun like some male cheerleaders gone wrong. "Fill Me With Paint" finds the shouted, double-tracked vocals capturing a similar vibe as the previous song, as you can hear how the West Coast sound is changing .

"Throw Me Away" has a sing-song vocal hook that works really well. There are hints of '90s punk in the veins. But rather than hitting you with speed and anger, they are more relaxed thanks to the ample sunshine. "God Owes Me Money" features a more shimmering new wave melody in the background as the almost-rapped vocal flows over it. They ride the line between being more of an alt-rock band and punk on this album, but I think the attitude is still there. 

The ballad 'Daydream' does cross the line into radio rock.  The roar back to redeem themselves with "Maybe I'll Burn My Life Down". It shuffle into a clapped groove. There is a more anthemic alternative feel to 'Kick" but it works well.  They indulge in a more chipper version of pop-punk for "Laugh at Me", though the guitar get more sonic on the chorus.  His singing has improved on this album for sure. "Wake Up and Smile" sounds more like the Pixies to me, which is a great band to be compared to. 

"I Won't Murder Your Friend" takes some interesting turns. They take a more blatant turn into pop-punk with the Blink 182 sounding "Thought You Were Waving". The title track closes the album with something more in line with the pop punk side of what they are doing on this album. I will give this album an 8.5, it's a solid performance though more pop-punk than I prefer. 

PST594

Militarie Gun : " Life Under the Gun"

 Turnstile breaking into the main stream has apparently cranked up a bandwagon of more melodic punk. It is pop punk that is rough around the edges, and slightly more to say. These guys lean into the Turnstile thing pretty heavy in terms of how the vocal melodies are falling over the bright bounce of deliberate guitar. They do not have as big or slick of a production sound, nor do they use the kind of clever sounds and dynamics. They are using a syncopated jangle, but with an almost Taking Back Sunday like inflection to things. "Will Logic" might be the most clever and smoothly flowing song of the first three songs. More melancholy underpins the guitar going into "My Friends are Having a Hard Time". The raspy throat singing that still coats it self in sugar creates a less testosterone filled version of what Idles do  but more introspective than street wise.

You might be very attached to these guys already and pissed that I am comparing them to other bands. To this point I will point out that being from Los Angeles that is how the music scene works their. They take whatever New York finds cool and repackages it in a way that sells the rest of the world on it being cool. "Return Policy" works of a more unique syncopation. They do not stick to this groove, but clang out chords. "Seizure of Assets" has more of a sun baked attitude in the lamentations of the way they world works. "Never Fucked Up Once' is pop punk that is organic in the same way it was in 90s. Well at least the kind that was not on the radio.  They thankfully share none of their musical DNA with Green Day. 

"Sway Too" finds them slowing down the most, but it not quite falling into the bounds of being a ballad. The lyrics fall a little awkwardly over the melody at time but it works as a general rule. "See You Around" actually is a ballad, and an odd one at that. The title track that closes was a little underwhelming and brings nothing new to the table. I will give this album an 8.5, it is fun for what it is, it is getting a great deal of hype that is attempting to blow things out of proportion for what it is which is fun, nothing ground breaking going on here, and even a bit a recycling.