The Artist Life

Pop hooks, an emphasis on melody and cheesy lyrics almost always make for a shitty album. The Artist Life are the exception to this rule. While upon first listen there are certainly enough pop clichés to make you second-guess a more thorough listen, such an examination would reveal a band with more depth and sincerity than you might imagine. This could have something to do with singer/guitarist Ian Blackwood's time spent in street punk band Jersey, but whatever the reason it's a welcome addition to what could have been a very average pop punk album. The Artist Life take Saint Alvia's chord progressions, Bombs Over Providence's volatile, soaring vocals and throw in an almost unhealthy dose of sugary sweet hooks to create a remarkably fresh-sounding EP.