Production – 4.5/5 * Engineering – 5/5 * Overall – 4.8/5
With a sound that pulls from that of Blink-182, New Found Glory, and many more pop-punk legends, Traditions is a blend of old and new pop punk legends, and still maintains a unique sound all their own. Hailing from Westfield, Mass., Traditions is already making waves on such sites as absolutepunk.net, and is bound to break new ground in the pop-punk scene with their newest release, “Cycles”, out on March 11th via Take This To Heart Records.
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Facebook: Traditions
Profile on AbsolutePunk: Traditions
KEY:
(2 tapes = Meh)
(3 tapes = Good)
(4 tapes = Really Good)
(5 tapes = Awesome)
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TRACKLIST
1. “Ten Days”
I love the high energy and harmonies this track starts out with. Pop punk through and through, this song has all the right elements – catchy lyrics, guitar and drum breakdowns, and chord changes that channel that typically heard in New Found Glory, old-school Blink 182, and Good Charlotte styles. This song is very well produced, and brings out the giggly teenager in me.
2. “Progression: Regression”
A bit more on the screamo side, this song displays a very slight hardcore edge that differs from the previous song. Still very poppy, the mix of harsh and melodic vocals blended with the chunky guitar riffs makes this song a stand-out track. I love the All-American Rejects-esque gang vocal breakdown, and the drum fills take this song to a new level. This song reminds me of the sounds and melodies of a typical Fall Out Boy record, but still carries a different style that makes it a “Traditions” track.
3. “Debt Of A Son”
This song starts off with elements of a ballad, but then quickly transforms into a pop track. I must say I’m absolutely loving how the drums are recorded throughout this record thus far, as well as the guitar and vocal harmonies that sit in the background nicely. I hear more of a New Found Glory sound on this track, mixed with a bit of melodies that traditionally are heard from bands like Sugarcult. Not the most catchy lyric-wise, but the production is yet again flawless.
4. “Polarity”
I love the guitar riff that starts this song off. It is very reminiscent of a Fall Out Boy or Thursday track, but done in their own way. I also love the vocal effects used here as well as how precisely the drums match the guitars here. There’s a lot of underlying guitar lines and effects in this song as well, which bring out a different sound not heard on the rest of the record so far. I love the production of this track as well, and the classic drum and screamo vocal breakdown in the bridge.
5. “Eyes Of A Man”
The most catchy track yet, the intro reminds me of New Found Glory’s record, “My Friend Over You”, but then it quickly changes to more of a Thursday or Taking Back Sunday type vibe. I love the lyrics on this one; the verses bring a different energy than the chorus, yet it somehow still matches and blends very well. I also love the random drum and guitar breakdown that leads into the pop-centric chorus. Another greatly produced track, its high energy makes me want to jump up and down and back and forth, without a care in the world. Again, if I were a teenager you could label me giddy. A great end to a great pop-punk record!
