Pop-Punk might seem to be a bit of a “been there, done that, bought the Sum-182 t-shirt” sort of genre these days but like any classic musical form, there is always an audience for new music if you present something exciting enough. Anyone working in such musical territory, places where the rules are already well-established have two real choices. Either they can cross-pollinate the music with outside influences to create a new sub-genre, which rarely works well in my opinion, I mean who needs ska-punk when we’ve already had Two-Tone? Or they can drill down into the established sound of that genre and just try to do it better than the competition.
It is this latter option that we find Required For Entry opting for on this neat new e.p. Across a half-dozen songs they perfectly blend the textures and fast tempos of punk rock with the more accessible melodies and arch-type chord progressions of power-pop which forms the backbone of the sound. And lyrically it stays close to the adolescent themes which made the genre such a perfect coming of age soundtrack in the first place.
About You blends the urgency of early punk with bop and boogie-some grooves making for a great opening salvo, one which is both anthemic and incendiary yet comes off like amphetamine-fuelled pop. City Nights and Summer Nights is a nostalgic slab of foot on the monitor rock ’n’ roll and That One Night is infused with the searing and sneering vibe of low-slung proto-punk. The e.p. rounds off with Goodbye and Farewell a brash yet reflective aural attack which weaves rock weight through pop-punk buoyancy to great effect.
Just The Tip is as good a take on the genre as you will find these days. It might not change the world but it might just make your day and that is all you can ask of a record really.
