YOUR NEW FAVORITE BAND by Nerd Magnet
Released: 22.06.15 / Label: THISTIME RECORDS
I love pop-punk, especially of the early 2000s flavor. And while I’ve known about Nerd Magnet for awhile, I’ve never had the chance to sit down and really listen to a full song before. Let’s learn a little about the band first though.
This four piece band has been around since 2006 coming on the scene just as their genre’s popularity was fading. Like most indie artists the band’s members all hold down jobs while pursuing music, so it’s impressive how active and prolific this band has been over the years. While they may have been a bit late to the scene in the early 2000s everything is cyclical, and they’ve maintained popularity long enough that this may just be their time to finally shine.
YOUR NEW FAVORITE BAND is the lead single from the group’s newest album I’m Still Here. And while kind of short, it definitely showcases the group’s mastery of the pop-punk style. Everything you want is there, the high pitched vocal lines, the linear moog-like guitar solo, the octaves in the bass, the melancholic self-aware lyrics, the driving drums, even the music video is pitch perfect. While there isn’t anything ground breaking going on, I think they’ve achieved exactly what they set out to do and I’m into it.
The production is also spot on. Harmonies are perfectly balanced, the snare and guitar hit hard unison phrases, the guitar solo sits right above the band but just below the vocals. And the vocals sound great to boot. Really well done. The cover is a bit mysterious, but the album hasn’t dropped yet, so we’ve yet to see what the whole package entails. This one will definitely be on my short list to review.
Stream or download the track