Erik Reviews So Many Ways - Floridian EP

Erik wrote:So Many Ways- The Floridian EP


When the Palm Tree state comes to mind, I think of unwinding: soaking up sun, laying in the sand with a cold drink in my hand and listening to the sound of the waves lazily rollicking into the coastline.

Maybe that’s why Chicago pop-punkers So Many Ways adorned their second EP with Florida in a hurricane, which is definitely a better way to describe their sound. ”The Floridian EP” moshes, riffs, sing-alongs, and rollicks through four songs, clocking in at a harried just over ten minute span.

Album opener “Richter Party!” sets the pace nicely for the EP, kicking off with a guitar feedback squeal, and rips up the stereo with hardcore vocals meshing with gang vocal sing-alongs and a fast-paced drumbeat.

“Stay Guild” opens with a definitive pop-punk riff that segues into hardcore vocals doing a call and response with lighthearted gang vocals and vocals straight out of Taking Back Sunday. The drumwork is excellent yet again, and although the song has its heavy moments, it makes for a good summer jam.

“Jared Milbank’s Senior Photo” deserves to be played loud. The song with the least hardcore leanings on the EP, this one is the anthem of the end of senior year of high school. A real driving track, this song is one meant to be cranked up in a car stereo while driving to the beach with the windows down in the summer sun.

The closer, “Ricky Stewart and the Trendsetters” is another half-hardcore, half-pop-punk, all fun So Many Ways track. The guitar work is crunchy and raw with emotion, and is hard enough for a hardcore fan to not be ashamed to listen to, but light enough to have some serious mainstream appeal.

Part sunsoaked beach album, part hardcore hurricane whirlwind, So Many Ways has constructed a truly one-of-a-kind EP that will have you shouting at the top of your lungs.

Check out So Many Ways at
http://somanyways.bandcamp.com/ or
http://www.myspace.com/somanywaysrock.