The Artist Life – Let’s Start A Riot

This review will be a relatively short one. Not because Let’s Start A Riot only deserves a few words but more so because I have no clue as to what to say about The Artist Life‘s sophomore release. The five song EP could be summed up in a few words and I’m finding it hard to think of anything else to say. Basically, the EP can be summed up as this: a collection of five songs that sound like a poppier version of The Loved Ones with some slight Taking Back Sunday flourishes scattered about.

There we have it. That’s what The Artist Life‘s Let’s Start A Riot sounds like and I can’t think of any better way to say it.

It’s five pop-punk songs that bridge the gap between The Loved One‘s Build & Burn and Keep Your Heart. Vocalist Ian Blackwood sounds exactly like Dave Hause as he delivers his vocals in the same impassioned yelled – particularly on You’re Not Fooling Anyone. It’s a mixture of melodic punk with some pop emphasis and it works. The Taking Back Sunday influence is there, although very minimally. You hear some slight Adam Lazzara in the chorus of Sleep So Sound and on the title track they not only have dueling vocals but also whispered parts that would settle right alongside Timberwolves At New Jersey in Tell All Your Friends. Lucky for us though, The Artist Life do all of that within a guitar-driven pop-punk structure and don’t surrender to the wills of the emo sound.

The Artist Life have given a solid pop-punk record that is quite entertaining to listen to. The songs are something I could imagine singing to live although I can’t help but feel that they’re missing something to truly keep me coming back for more. But they’ve laid a solid foundation and show some serious promise on Let’s Start A Riot so I’d definitely be interested in see what the band does next.