As It Is – okay.

Off the back of a successful debut album in 2015, Brighton’s As It Is are back doing what they do best: writing solid, catchy songs to brighten up your day. The pop-punk theme of Never Happy Ever After has been moved aside side in favour of straight-up pop-rock on okay., with the only real tie to pop-punk being Patty Walters’ nasally American vocals which usually go hand in hand with the genre. Vocals aside though, okay. is more aligned to the likes of All Time Low, and it really succeeds.

You would be forgiven for thinking opener “Pretty Little Distance” was an All Time Low track, given its similarities in style and vocal approach. That’s certainly no bad thing; As It Is are proven songwriters and at this more moderate pace, their penchant for writing excellent melodies shines through like never before. “Hey Rachel” and “Austen” are two stand-out tracks thanks to their fantastic choruses and relentless energy and demonstrate the band’s ability to craft memorable moments that make you come back for more.

“No Way Out” is the biggest tie to the band’s debut album with its fast drum beat that shows they’ve still got the ability to write an effective pop-punk song. Elsewhere though, the focus is on solid structures and melodies and it’s a style they take to naturally. “Soap” is as far from the band’s previous sound as the record gets and it results in a more mature offering that appeals to a wider audience.

okay. is ready made for the live arena and fans will no doubt thrive in singing these songs back at the top of their lungs. “Curtains Close”, with its slower pace and heartfelt delivery, could easily become a set-list favourite as the change in pace keeps things fresh and emphasises the quality of Walters’ melody writing.

As It Is have produced another solid slab of catchy rock songs that proves their proficiency at creating memorable anthems. okay. spreads the band into the pop-rock arena and in doing so, should see them attracting an influx of new followers who maybe didn’t appreciate their less mature pop-punk sound the first time round.