ALBUM REVIEW: Show The World What’s Underneath – Super Sometimes
As the years pass by, new blood revitalises a genre that many would argue has died a number of deaths. However, the newcomers would disagree with the sentiment as they view the genre as alive and breathing, just changing and growing. Such is the case with San Diego’s SUPER SOMETIMES, who gives thanks to their forefathers of the scene as they bring out Show The World What’s Underneath.
Despite only being active for a handful of years, the pop-punk trio have already made waves with their fusions of seasoned skateboard-punk sounds and modern-day angsty artistry. Kicking the record off is the energetic Afterthought, an anthemic track that lays out the feelings of being casted out by friends, family and society. The group twist a moment of wallowing into an exercise of extreme catharsis, letting out the pain and the hurt with the right bursts of energy it needs. It’s a tale as old as pop-punk itself, oneself against the world with no one to fight the fight alongside them. Feeling alone, isolated, and used up. With short simple lines such as, “give it up and go” and, “you said I’m wrong, who said I’m right?“, it packs power and hits precisely where the emotions lie. More so than if the sentiment was wrapped in an abstract language, woven by clever inferences and eloquent metaphors. Pop-punk is real reactions to real events, and it doesn’t get more real than this.
Always You is the love song of the record, but not in the best manner. With the lyrics focusing on how the couple in question are mismatched to the point of claiming, “you don’t care at all” when it comes to the main character’s thoughts and feelings. However, away from the story being told, the musical composition is what will make this an in-concert favourite for the fans. With a catchy chant-worthy chorus and a bouncy riff throughout, it takes a page from the BLINK-182 book of writing about love and relationships. Whether it’s true love or a toxic trauma bond, it should be as freeing and full of life a track as possible. This was executed well.
As the record plays on, it all pieces together minute by minute. SUPER SOMETIMES have channelled their innermost in their music to bring it to the outside world in the best, most resonating way they can. It’s clear, it’s plain, it’s unavoidable: these California punks are following the path laid before them and taking the road most travelled. They have found their sound and style, the formulae that work well to wear their hearts within their fingertips (especially between co-vocalists Dylan Guzman and Gabriel Munoz) and now with the record in the books, they can work towards diverting the road and paving their own way. As the trio continue moving strength to strength, they will excel. They will finally show the world what’s underneath.
Rating: 7/10
Show the World What’s Underneath is set for release on May 15th via Pure Noise Records.
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