Dear You – I Can Only Blame Myself
Review by Trevor Figge
Dear You are new comers the pop-punk scene, however their entry into the scene has been expedited with the release of I Can Only Blame Myself; an extremely refreshing six song EP, that breaths fresh air into a smog filled scene of bands replicating The Wonder Years and The Story So Far’s sound. This EP is packed with explosive energetic pop-punk anthems from start to finish that will leave you begging for more.
I Can Only Blame Myself pays respect to the current state of pop-punk with vocals that border between a post-hardcore scream and the angst ridden belting of singers like Parker Cannon and Dan “Soupy” Campbell. However, it does not fall prey to the pop-punk double time formula that is so popular right now. Rather, Dear You takes you back to the 90’s when songs were about girls, friends and not quite feeling at home amongst your peers. Every song makes your toes tap and head rock back and forth. Not to mention, they’re all filled with choruses that just beg for you to jump along with and verses that make even the most reserved fan want to two-step.
In songs like “Castles” you hear Chris Roach’s heart and voice break and tear apart right as he belts out a song about holding your loved ones back. This song is the perfect embodiment of what it sounds like if you take 90’s pop-punk kids and have them listen to bands like The Wonder Years, The Story So Far, Banner Pilots, Make Do and Mend, and Being As An Ocean. Then give them guitars, microphones and a drum set and say, “Here sort through all of your life’s problems here, not out there, not with drugs, alcohol, or self-abuse.”
I cannot stress how much I like this album. I’ve said that an album reminded me of 90’s pop-punk (Real Friends-Put Yourself Back Together), but I was jaded and blinded by my personal feelings towards the band. I had never heard anything Dear You had put out, until Thursday Morning at 12:20AM after a long night working on a mix. But instead of giving my ears a rest, I have been listening to this EP on repeat for the past eight hours (four of which I slept), for a total of 10+ play-through’s and it has yet to grow old.
Songs like “Shipwreck” and “Have You Really Forgotten My Name” will be imprinted in my brain as the songs to me that define pop-punk in the modern day right along side with The Wonder Years “Teenage Parents” and “Cul-De-Sac”. Please do not pass up your opportunity to listen to this band and download their music (you can buy it on iTunes HERE). I’ve very rarely been given chills by an album or taken the time out of my day to just listen to an album and I’ve done that repeatedly for I Can Only Blame Myself, which is only a six song EP! I can’t wait to see what Dear You will do with a full-length release.
Overall Rating: 5/5 (flawless, skip-less, perfection)
Recommended Tracks: “Shipwreck” and “Have You Really Forgotten My Name”
Website // Facebook // Twitter
