Alburquerque, New Mexico-based pop punk band Right On, Kid! debuted their brand new EP, When Words Are Enough, this past month. Working with producer Seth Henderson (Knuckle Puck, Capstan, Real Friends) and collaborating with Ryan Rumchaks (Knuckle Puck, Homesafe) on the EP’s lead track, When Words Are Enough is the strongest release from Right On, Kid! yet, introducing a strong collection of material to the pop punk genre.
We recently talked to guitarist and vocalist RJ Butler and he opened up about the writing and recording process behind When Words Are Enough and where he sees pop punk going since its sudden resurgence.
Beginning the writing process for When Words Are Enough this past spring, Right On, Kid! traveled to Indiana to work with producer Seth Henderson at Always Be Genius Recording Studio where they spent ten days recording the EP. Henderson himself has left quite the mark on pop punk music, working on classic albums over the years including Knuckle Puck’s Shapeshifter and Copacetic, Real Friends’ Everything That Dragged You Here and most of Homesafe’s releases.
It was Henderson’s close relationship with Homesafe vocalist and Knuckle Puck bassist Ryan Rumchaks that led to the collaboration on Right On, Kid!’s new track “Tracer,” a hard-hitting, guitar heavy track with brutally honest lyrics we can all relate to at its forefront.
“[The collaboration] came about from our mutual relationship with Seth Henderson since he’s done pretty much all of the recording for both Homesafe and Knuckle Puck so we thought we’d reach out and see if he’d do a part on the EP.”
Like “Tracer,” each track on When Words Are Enough tackles real-life issues we all face each day, adding another dimension of relatability that helps elevate the EP to a whole new level. While pop punk fans will enjoy the classic elements of guitar breakdowns and percussion heavy choruses you can head bang to, When Words Are Enough also has incredibly strong lyrical content that gives listeners the opportunity to connect with the material in their own personal way.
“Cold Again” is a perfect example of the layers found on When Words Are Enough. With an explosive chorus fans will be able to exert their energy to during Right On, Kid!’s live shows, or even while listening alone in their rooms, the lyric-driven song has a deeper meaning under the surface.
“‘Cold Again’ is about how the things you say to people have more of an impact than you may think and that you should think about what you say before you say it. The title of the EP is a reflection of that theme as well.”
With classic pop punk elements mixed in with their own uniquely personal lyrics, the refreshing way in which Right On, Kid! create their music is something we are beginning to see in many different forms during this sudden “new era” of pop punk. Alongside other acts growing in popularity within pop punk, Unturned, Young Culture and Youth Fountain to name a few, this new wave of acts are paying tribute to the bands that have come and gone while reintroducing the genre to a new generation of listeners that will grow up without pop punk outlets like Vans Warped Tour.
For Right On, Kid!, while they only have three releases under their belt, they are optimistic of where the genre is heading and are hopeful that this resurgence will allow pop punk to still have a presence in all areas of the music industry.
“We think pop punk music is on its way up and that this kind of music is being reintroduced to some of the younger generations and blending in with some of the popular genres that are around right now.”
As Right On, Kid! continue to release music and tour around the world for years to come, they hope that their music will contribute to the genre in a larger way, pop punk bands more than ever needing to support each other to allow for the genre to continue to grow.
“We think that we’re more of a piece of a big puzzle of music in our genre, part of the big picture of where alternative music is heading, working together with the other bands in the scene to all pull each other up.”
