For months, Stavanger's very own Sløtface toured across the correctional centres of Norway as part of a nationwide arts initiative. Apart from the gratifying feeling of being able to share beloved music with others, this also served as a practice-run for the band to feel the vibe of various crowds and decide what (and what not) to include on their latest album. Now, three years since their first studio album, Try Not to Freak Out, Sløtface's followup Sorry for the Late Reply is a vibrant and seriously catchy project, loaded with unfettered pop punk energy.
The album starts off excitingly with the first two songs, "S.U.C.C.E.S.S." and "Telepathetic," but proceeds into a slower groove with "Stuff" and "Luminous," which are pop songs that blend grunge with acoustic guitar to create their melodies. Vocalist and songwriter Haley Shea writes lyrics that are sometimes bold and angry, other times raw and emotional.
Although Sorry for the Late Reply has a tracklist of 13 songs, each feels memorable in its own way; the production might not be impressively innovative, but nonetheless feels thoughtful, adds texture and character to each respective track, and keeps listeners guessing almost throughout.
Sorry for the Late Reply does not showcase Sløtface manipulating pop punk in a multitude of novel and creative ways, but it is a solid demonstration of the band working within the genre almost perfectly, and being able to tweak it to make high-quality, impassioned and ultimately quite enjoyable music.
(Nettwerk)The album starts off excitingly with the first two songs, "S.U.C.C.E.S.S." and "Telepathetic," but proceeds into a slower groove with "Stuff" and "Luminous," which are pop songs that blend grunge with acoustic guitar to create their melodies. Vocalist and songwriter Haley Shea writes lyrics that are sometimes bold and angry, other times raw and emotional.
Although Sorry for the Late Reply has a tracklist of 13 songs, each feels memorable in its own way; the production might not be impressively innovative, but nonetheless feels thoughtful, adds texture and character to each respective track, and keeps listeners guessing almost throughout.
Sorry for the Late Reply does not showcase Sløtface manipulating pop punk in a multitude of novel and creative ways, but it is a solid demonstration of the band working within the genre almost perfectly, and being able to tweak it to make high-quality, impassioned and ultimately quite enjoyable music.