Wow. This is off to a great start. Female-fronted pop music with some (a lot) of organ/keyboards and a ton of energy. Five cuts, they all rock, and not a single one of them is over two minutes long. Now you’re speaking my language. Super catchy and just fun to listen to. The vocals are both pretty and interesting. While this is poppy and pretty, make no mistake, this is not sticky sweet; it’s got some guts.
Two songs in, this EP had me thinking of one of the unsung heroes of early 2010s melodic hardcore/pop punk hybrids: UNFUN. Bands like them and CANADIAN RIFLE hit that sweet spot between those two labels, gruffing up one side and melodically infusing the other. If that sounds like a modern LEATHERFACE description, you’re not far off. CIGARETTE CAMP may feel less worn or mature, but they deliver on the things Frankie Stubbs always does: personal-feeling vocals/lyrics, guitars for days, and anthemic moments that hit like a bucket of water if you happen to be on fire. What I’m going the long way around to say is that this is so, so, so very satisfying. Punk with head and heart put into it is what we will always need, and it is delivered here in spades.
