Album Review

Beach Slang – The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us

• 30th Oct 2015

When it comes to keeping it real – punks own the act, so it’s no wonder that Philadelphia based Beach Slang’s debut ‘The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us’ is loud, sweary and dripping with angsty teen emotion. The raw lyricism tells it exactly how it is and the thick guitars slam it out like a controlled session of anger management.

But that’s the thing with upbeat angsty music. For the older listener, it can be a cringe inducing listening experience as foolish young thoughts and romances come to mind. Frontman James Alex sings in ‘Hard Luck Kid’, “I’m hard luck kid, so why even try/ I’m a nowhere bum, I’m dumb, I don’t mind”. Classic teenage dirt bag mentality. Naive thoughts continue in ‘I Break Guitars’: “If rock and roll is dangerous, how can I feel so safe in it?”. Rock and roll is as dangerous as it is dead, mate.

Yet on the other hand, it can also be quite heartwarming to recall all them feels what one used to have (and perhaps still do). The lyrics: “The night is alive / it’s loud and I’m drunk,” is an ageless state-of-mind, and “I feel most alive when I’m listening / to every record that hits harder than the pain” has truth for those with ailing ears. Perhaps James Alex’s two decade experience in the music industry shows when he contemplates life with the lyrics: “too young to die, too late to die young”.

Thing is, when you consider the lyrics are written by a fortysomething year old guy, you realise it’s actually quite remarkable how young and in-the-moment it feels. If Beach Slang are keeping it real, then this is the perfect soundtrack for the adult dirtbag’s legally purchased boozy nights in. Just don’t piss off your neighbour.

– Jennifer Ho
@jensties

Venue: The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us
Support Band: Big Scary Monsters Records