The Syracuse Pop-Punkers have reinvented themselves with a new name, and with that step forward comes a step forward in musicianship.
Previously known as Stand My Ground, the band Fairgrounds hails from Syracuse, New York. On September 6th they will release their new, self-titled EP.
The opening track, Fearless, has impressive instrumental parts and a vocal performance to match. The guitar work manages to sound distinctly Pop-Punk while taking a few pages from the Hardcore playbook. Lyrically the song covers Pop-Punk anthem material, but in a refreshing way that encourages the listener to stay on-board for the next tracks.
Following Fearless is Outlaws, which utilizes the bands heavier influences more than the preceding track. While the lyrics to Outlaws make less of an effort to break from the pack, the vocal performance is a cut above Fearless.
Coach (Put Me In) opens with an unexpected hardcore vocal showcase, but the clean vocals arrive just in time. Alternating between both Pop-Punk and Hardcore elements, it’s the Punk parts of this track that manage to be memorable. The breakdown that arrives at the end of the song is cringe-worthy and almost enough to convince me to dismiss the song as a joke track.
Fairgrounds saved their best track for last with Sleepless Nights, which features the strongest performances on the record. The instrumentation is well composed and catchy, the clean vocals are clear and are fantastically mixed. The Hardcore backing vocals sound almost comically better than on Coach (Put Me In), and the various contrasting parts that make up Fairgrounds find a way to fall into place perfectly.
Stylistically the music draws dual influences from the polarizing directions that the genre as a whole seems to be embracing. Elements found in bands like Fireworks, Transit, and The Wonder Years are juxtaposed with Post-Hardcore and Thrash influences. The result is, naturally, an EP that strives to sound at home among Pop-Punk heavyweights.
Tracklist:
1. Fearless
2. Outlaws
3. Coach (Put Me In)
4. Sleepless Nights
Rating:
Written by Frank Campisano IV
