Never Shout Never - Black Cat

Never Shout Never
Black Cat
2015

Never Shout Never has taken many different musical turns over their seven albums. Their last record Recycled Youth followed more of a solo Ukulele style, soft music meant to tug at the heart strings. However in a bold move for the group Black Cat is almost exclusively a pop record with elements of rock and some of emotional vibes the band has been known for in the past. The album is almost jarring in it's brightness and commitment to making the catchyest pop song possible. At times the record verges on Pop-Punk but it never really makes the full engagement of three chords and screaming. It is quite interesting because the sound of the album is so upbeat and usually about teen love, but Drew's voice and tone is so angsty. Through the words you are hearing one thing, but the tone takes you in a different direction entirely. It is almost like Never Shout Never are being really successful at writing the teen anthems on this album, but it seems like a genre they really should not be a part of.

"BOOM!" is one track that is an absolute mess. It is a combination of rap/rock/pop/disco/harmonies that has almost zero direction and is more just a group of sounds that somehow came together. While Black Cat does have a direction and point of view, that direction never comes together in a clear way. The commitment to pop is there, but the execution makes for a bunch of tracks that fail to really hit. "Fone Tag" is the one track that is an all out hit and was most certainly designed as so. While most of the Black Cat is fun to listen to there is just something about it that feels odd and contrived, like something is missing at the core. Try out a couple tracks, but don't expect to be blown away.

5.2 out of 10