Release Date: June 3, 2022
Genre: Pop Punk Label: Open Your Ears Records The Washington, D.C.-based post-pop-punk quartet -formed by vocalist Jonah Tenney, vocalist and guitarist David Colon-Margolies, drummer Martin MacAlister, and guitarist and backing vocalist Kamran Hassan- are set to release their latest collection of tunes on the EP, Moments. It will drop his Friday through Open Your Eyes Records. On the forthcoming Moments EP, Dear Spring blends the old with the new to deliver a handful of post-pop-punk anthems that transcends the genre. In an age of disconnection -in part because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic- Dear Spring sounds like four friends hulled up in a room, writing and recording an endlessly powerful EP and bringing something fresh to the genre with their newest release. Dear Spring flies right into things on Moments with "Wooden Fences." The track is an overly energetic, fast-paced, but straightforward pop-punk song, which intertwines the standard melodic pop-punk styles with elements of fast-paced punk rock. "Wooden Fences" really goes hard and focuses on the use of multiple vocalists. The EP's second track, "Vultures," takes a different direction than the previous track. "Vultures" sees Dear Spring shake off the pop-punk sound with a more defined alternative rock sound -somewhere in the same vein as the likes of Taking Back Sunday. "Vultures" still oozes their core pop-punk influence, but with a darker, even more, melodic twist. The song is an absolute pillar of the entire EP. "Vultures" breakdown takes the track to even new heights with some harder and harsh secondary vocals mixed with heavier instruments.
The band's lead single, "Every Now And Then," is the third song on Moments and the first track completed for the EP. "Every Now And Then" is another fast-paced pop-punk number and reminds me of something The Wonder Years could have written and fit on an album some years back. Lyrically, it's got a call and response type of thing going on with both of the band's vocalists going back and forth and even harmonizing at times. One vocalist sings about the past, wondering what could have been, while the other vocalist sings about getting over what has happened during this time, and the other is reminiscing about but fearing possibly repeating past mistakes. Additionally, the accompanying music video for "Every Now And Then" -which is included above to view- is a love letter from the band to the Washington D.C. music scene, showcasing the city's music venues that mean the most to them and just generally showcasing their hometown. The fourth track on Moments is titled "Newspeak" and is an interesting track all across the board. While the song is one of the slower ones of the entire Moments EP, pertaining to its lyrics, it's on the heavier side of the spectrum. The track was mostly written during the period of March and May of 2020. "Newspeak" examines self-destructive tendencies and the struggle of expression in an age of extreme polarization. The band was heavily influenced by the feelings of frustration and helplessness while watching the pandemic unfold firsthand and examining the dichotomy of selfishness and selflessness on display in society during that period of time. Following a short and quite atmospheric interlude/intro type of track titled "Revolution," the Moments EP closes out strong with the slower but fast banger, "Empty Frames." Lyrically, the song touches on bettering yourself and falling out of bad habits to push yourself to a better tomorrow. However, musically, "Empty Frames" blurs the line of their alternative rock side with Dear Spring's pop-punk side by mixing the two into one. It's a fresh sound to blend -and while it has been done before- it's a rare mix to come upon nowadays during the pop-punk resurgence we have been seeing the last several years. Be sure to pre-save Moments on your preferred music service here.
