Calling all Pop-Punkers! Remember how it felt when you listened to Fallout Boy on the radio when you were in middle/high school for the first time? Did you DISRESPECT YOUR SURRONDINGS with A Day To Remember? Or remember when your first real heartbreak happened and you turned to Taking Back Sunday for some comfort? Those times are coming back around even though we're in our late 20's to early 40's and boy is it coming in hot and heavy! There are so many new pop-punk bands dropping albums, singles, and all around good vibes. In this series, we're going to delve a little deeper into an individual band with each post. Since their new album drops at the end of April, we're going to deep dive into Action/Adventure!
Action/Adventure is a five piece band hailing from Chicago, Illinois. The band consists of Blake Evaristo serenading lead vocals, Brompton Jackson delivering angelic vocals and beautiful guitar licks, Oren Trace slaying on guitar, Manny Avila groovin' on bass, and Adrian Brown crushing the drums. A/A has released a multitude of singles as well as three amazing EP's since 2015 and is releasing their first full length EP on April 30, 2021!
Considered heavy pop-punk (not quite easycore, but definitely a close relative) by the band themselves, A/A has catchy, poppy lyrics and vocal stylings laced into riveting riffs and melodic, heavy breakdowns that you can bounce in the mosh pit to. Fans of Fall Out Boy, Senses Fail, Four Year Strong, The Story So Far, and The Wonder Years will have a blast with Action/Adventure!
Action/Adventure are advocates for "Pop-Punk in Color", which is a movement to show that it doesn't matter what you look like or where you're from, you can do amazing things and enjoy any form of music/media that YOU are into. After posting their impactful single "Barricades" to TikTok using the hashtag #PopPunkInColor and gaining over a million plays in three weeks, Pure Noise Records (which is the band's dream label) sent an offer letter and signed A/A for their first full length EP! Instead of being pushed out of the genre based on their skin color or giving up on their dream because they "don't look like they sound", Action/Adventure is serving up their flavor of pop-punk that is helping to ensure that this genre is one that represents everyone on and off stage regardless of what you look like, where you're from, or any other fake limiting factor and god it is so refreshing!
Tracks like "Parachutes" or my personal favorite "Tuck Everlasting" really take me back in time to when things were a little easier in life without all the daily stresses of adulthood. The smooth riffs, sweet bass lines, bangin' drums, and literally some of the most beautiful vocals I've heard in years, Action/Adventure is something to share with friends and family that still think that "Pop-Punk is just a phase". Well Mom, it's not and here's your proof. As a 30 something year old, I have heard a lot of different takes on the genre and can confirm that this is about as pure pop-punk as one can find!
With Pulling Focus set to release right around the corner, you can find it and all the awesome bundles over on Merch Now so grab yours today! I'd recommend grabbing the CD/LP combo cause these guys are about to blow up and you can have a couple pieces of pop-punk history in your collection while supporting some of the best pop-punk that's been released in years!
After the release of the album, I'll do a full write up review here so check back in May to read more about that. Spoiler alert, it's most likely going to be a hard review to follow up from any of the future bands we'll discuss as I have been on an A/A kick for several months now due to their amazing tracks, delicious sounds, and positive message!