Ah, summer in full swing. For those of you attempting to battle high temperatures, I empathize as I sit in my apartment with my blinds closed and fight off the forecast 105-degree heat. But I try not to be bitter despite my preference for cold weather, and keep in mind the more exciting facets of summertime. One of these is certainly all of the records that only seem to be appropriate during the summer months, which can include some of the guiltiest of pleasures. However, this review is not about the heat or guilty pleasures, so let's move on to the relevant topic, Junior Battles and their debut EP.
Junior Battles is a Canadian four-piece who plays solid melodic punk. Overall, the band seems to be trying to capture the straightforward sound of bands like Jawbreaker, with a touch of Hot Water Music or even Saves the Day. The result is Hotel Bibles, a six-song EP that has a few pop-punk clichés, but nevertheless sounds well executed. The record sounds fun, if nothing else, complete with fast drums, layered vocal patterns, and harmonizing guitar riffs. Junior Battles are in a hurry to showcase all that they are capable of, and the songs on here are evidence of where this band aims to go.
The album starts off with the simple and catchy "We're Not Coming Down," with the poppy drums moving the melodies along very well. The lead vocalist has a style very similar to the June Spirit, and is complimented by the other members' subdued singing behind him. Almost every chorus boasts two singers, creating a richer sound overall. On "Will and Words," Junior Battles slows the beat down a bit while maintaining the same kinds of hooks as before. You can hear the larger sound attempted with this track, when the instruments get toned down for a repeated gang vocal part.
This is a relatively pleasant offering from a band I know close to nothing about. The songs are varied enough to keep me listening to the end, even if they're not the best I've heard for this type of music. I fear that this band could get lost between the cracks of the few melodic punk fans and the overabundance of millennial pop-punk fans. The vocal progressions often sound too similar or brash for continued listens, but it's not necessarily crippling for their sound. I'm curious to see how Junior Battles could expand themselves from here, as Hotel Bibles shows an intriguing foundation that could go a number of different directions.
