Review
Not On Tour
Outtakes EP

SBÄM Records (2021) — Dennis

Not On Tour – Outtakes EP cover artwork
Not On Tour – Outtakes EP — SBÄM Records, 2021

I can’t believe this is the first time Not On Tour is reviewed on this site. Not On Tour is a skate punk band from Tel Aviv, Israel. This band is insanely melodic and catchy. Not On Tour is one of those bands that master a certain art: they seem to effortlessly combine speed with catchy melodies.

The band nailed this style very early on in their career and haven’t changed it that much. Their strength lies in the extreme focus in their songwriting. Songs that last more than 90 seconds are kind of rare. Also: they should never part ways with singer Sima as she is the perfect singer for Not On Tour.

Where a Not On Tour song never outstays its welcome, I feel their albums usually could be trimmed two or three songs down. Their latest album, Growing Pains from 2019 also suffered from this. So it is kind of funny considering the three songs on this outtake are from the sessions for that album.

Now, I do understand that the band might have some difficulties choosing which songs to leave of that album as these three songs would have fit in without any problem. The only exception being “GMSN” which could use some more work on the lyrics. Now it’s only repeating the band members names which might sound funny once, but becomes stale really quickly.

If you are already familiar with Not On Tour you know you need this EP. If you don’t know them yet, let these three songs convince you you need to hear more from them soon!

8.0 / 10 — Dennis • September 28, 2021

Not On Tour – Outtakes EP cover artwork
Not On Tour – Outtakes EP — SBÄM Records, 2021

Recently-posted album reviews

​Pressure Set

​Pressure Set
Dr Strange Records (2026)

Punk rock has never needed complexity to make an impact. Sometimes, all it takes is a handful of riffs, a relentless rhythm section, and enough attitude to make the whole thing stick. Pressure Set understands that formula, but rather than simply recycling it, the band coats it in layers of filthy fuzz, garage-rock swagger, and an unexpectedly sharp melodic sensibility. … Read more

Blood & Sun

Aion's Light
Nordvis (2026)

The trajectory of Blood & Sun has been one of natural evolution. Starting off from rough demos, the project of Luke Tromiczak slowly became something more immersive and complete. The compositions grew richer, the songwriting more nuanced, and the production cleaner. However, the creative process does not necessarily have to be about looking forward and evolving, and in fact at … Read more

The Loved Ones

LATEST HITS!
Lovemonk Records, SofaBurn (2026)

I'll admit, when I first saw a new album from The Loved Ones land in my inbox, I got pretty excited. Being a fan of the Philadelphia punk band fronted by Dave Hause, I thought I was about to hear something I hadn't expected. Unfortunately, these weren't the Loved Ones I was looking for. However, what I discovered instead was … Read more