THE RECENTLY ADDED

Close Only Counts "Do Bad Things"


For those new to Close Only Counts, they're the best in the pop punk realm alongside Neck Deep, Handguns, and State Champs. For one reason or another, they didn't really pick up like the other guys did and we only have a handful of releases out from these guys that probably showcase some
of the best the genre has to offer.
     "It's fun to do bad things" is the line that kicks off the album and for a former poisoned youth, there's nothing else I can agree with more. Had I been into Close Only Counts in my formative years and they were there to sing me through my high school years, there probably wouldn't be a mature me writing this in reflection. The story telling here is excellent, and the pacing of lyrics and vocal delivery are simply perfect and assert the fact that sometimes little things make the big difference and that staying up all night is a mandatory requirement to growing up properly.
     Each track is more fun than the last, with "Knee Shark" being a personal favorite followed by "First We Feast, Then We Felony." The rest of the album flys by with minute long tracks sweeping in and out. The production for a band of their size is also to commended. Whoever put this mix together knew how to capture the act just right and make sure they stand up nice and strong next to NFG's classic self-titled or My Hotel Year's classic debut that never seemed to grow much from where it originated (check "She's Lying, I'm Dying" for proper reference).
     In my opinion, this is where pop punk belongs. No huge formal showcase, no breakdowns, all soul. You can feel the heartfelt outpour that's just seeping through the speakers, and it didn't take a specialist to get it there. This is simply what happens when a good band gets their act together and gets into the studio regardless of what is going on in the world around them. Here's to hoping that Close Only Counts is going to make a resurgence at some point and grace us with all their glory and play this bad boy in a dungeon somewhere straight up from front to back.
     

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