Still Shaking – Relax Friends

Dropping pop-punk into my ears is a thing that happens on a very regular basis, it does most of the time have the effect nowadays of getting the reaction “oh no not another Sum 41/Blink 182 sound alike band”, but then on occasion the hitting of the play button is rewarded with something that gives a lot more, a fresh slant on this genre that you just didn’t think was possible.

Enter Still Shaking, a Norwegian outfit that have taken what can be one of my favourite genres of punk and hit new heights of listenability.

Relax Friends is the album that should propel these guys near to the top of a very big pile of bands.  

‘Anxious And Airwaves’ is the song that hits your ears first, and it could have been curtains for this album before the end of the first verse, it initially sound like this could have ended up in the recycle bin, but a song that surely? uses the Angels And Airwaves name, messes with it and sings about something real in so many peoples world, over the top of angst filled guitars and thumping drum beats, is gonna get so much more of my time. 

From this moment on your propelled through an album that’s filled with the trials and tribulations of everyday life, ‘Lifeboat’ is about needing one to save you from that lost feeling, ‘Never Ending Bottle’ sings of drinking with friends and ‘Alone At Last’ is that love song that has to be done, just a few examples of the down to earth feeling you get within its twelve song snapshot of a band that actually enjoys life and singing about it.

Do we need to say a lot more about this album, other than let it speak for itself and say that this band have put new life into this genre of punk with their edgy angry vocals, the powerhouse of musical energy that gives and gives and makes the difficult seem so easy.

Possibly my shortest review ever!  It needs no more to be said than, Go Buy It! Go Download It! Go Stream it!

Catch this band before you regret not doing it earlier…

Check em out on Facebook too.