Reviews

Low Life

Flashes Red That Halo Won’t Hide Those Horns EP

The band describes themselves as “post-COVID,” but they sound almost pre-Y2K to me. Not that I’m complaining, I think many who enjoy late ’90s and early ’00s emo-ish HC will find a lot to like here. The vocals are a gurgle-y growl and the drums often leave a gap between notes, giving the songs the aforementioned expressive emo feel. FLASHES RED switches smoothly from those parts to brief but charged HC thwapping, providing many opportunities for sing-alongs and pointed fingers.

The Downstrokes This Close to Vertigo LP

The guitars on “This Close to Vertigo” are catchy in a conventional, RAMONES-worship way. They got stuck in my head easily. I mean, how is “Go Nowhere Kids” not already a song? But why does the band keep dragging songs past the two-minute mark?  I’m a big believer that a good riff speaks for itself. Excessive repetition can drain punk songs of the momentum they need. I get it, I’ve been in bands and sympathize with wanting to show off a good tune. The DOWNSTROKES should trust listeners to enjoy these tunes on their own merits without pushing a second or third helping.