Teenanger have never been an easy band to peg — 2012's Frights found the band kind of, but not quite, shrugging off their garage-y past, while 2013's Singles Don't $ell rode the line between direct punk poppiness and a new wave sheen. As the title suggests, E P L P is a continuation of the band's ambivalence toward stasis or definition, sounding like a culmination of all of their previous ideas while still incorporating some new ones into their honed hooks.
Most notably, Jon Schouten has opted for a sharper, crunchier guitar tone throughout the record, giving everyone else a bit more room to step up and be heard. Bassist Melissa Ball's backup vocals play a greater role, even taking the lead on "Mild Survivor." The changes might be slight, but like the bleating saxophone solo on "Twisted," or the stabs of synth on "Negative Zeroes," they're essential to giving E P L P a sound that's difficult to classify easily, while still making it distinct from its predecessors.
(Telephone Explosion)Most notably, Jon Schouten has opted for a sharper, crunchier guitar tone throughout the record, giving everyone else a bit more room to step up and be heard. Bassist Melissa Ball's backup vocals play a greater role, even taking the lead on "Mild Survivor." The changes might be slight, but like the bleating saxophone solo on "Twisted," or the stabs of synth on "Negative Zeroes," they're essential to giving E P L P a sound that's difficult to classify easily, while still making it distinct from its predecessors.