Sunshine State – Pour

Sunshine State mesmerize on their No Idea Records debut album, Pour. The Gainesville quartet act alter the punk rulebook and crumple its pages altogether, frantically throwing down tracks that will catch the listener’s attention, severing off any drop in concentration. They’ve proved on this contribution that they know how to gel together massive riffs with harmonic vocals, matching up against punk’s brutal giant.

Beginning with Sour Mash, the bass line is a true triumph with the guitar generating afterwards. Monumental vocals bellowed by a man that seems to have a puddle of demons splashing around in his mind. He describes someone being an emotional wreck, not truly surviving, just edging by.

Lunchblood comes in second. It’s more harmonic and melodic, there is no snotty nosed, spit soaked drama. The guitar vibe is arresting, absolutely chilling, complementing the pivotal lyrical framework perfectly. Poetry pounds through the bands backstreet of hell.

The album continues that trek throughout. Amanda is loud and infectious, sincere yet poisonous when it needs to be. Lyrics that flutters proudly like a pair of well cropped eyelashes, sustaining a balance of composure and credibility – Sour  is a non-stop contradictory extravaganza. 

You can’t help but feel for the disenchanted character that walks the streets, manipulated and wasting away admits the non-so-sunny Summer. The guitar adds the backing sound to the disarray.

These songs all work brilliantly, perfected by a band that feel pain and the restraints of a broken world – and also features ex- Against Me! drummer extraordinaire Warren Oakes. They’ve come together to inspire on a record that will patrol the head for a while, shooting sparks at the core.