Review by Shannon Shumaker
4th N’ Goal’s new EP, Turn on the Light starts and ends strong with beautiful vocal harmonies, great guitar work and memorable, catchy choruses that are sure to keep fans coming back for more. Right away, the album kicks off with a high energy and upbeat track, “Pickles.” The high and low vocal harmonies in “Pickles” are one of the strongest aspects of the song, and when the super catchy pop-punk chorus comes in, it’s hard not to have high hopes for this six song EP.
The following song, “Red Line Extreme,” is carried heavily by its strong lead guitar hooks. While the vocals aren’t quite as strong or as prominent as the first track, when the slower chorus comes in, it’s hard not to enjoy the song. “Red Line Extreme” also features a guest vocal part from Matty Arsenault of A Loss For Words, and his vocals absolutely suit 4th N’ Goal’s easycore sound well. The only downside on Turn on the Light comes in the middle of the EP, however. While each song definitely has little things that make them strong (like the gang vocals in “Out Of Tortillas,” for example) the overall energy on the album tends to stay in the same mid-range. Specifically in the middle of the EP, there aren’t many “wow” moments that really stand out among the rest, making them hard to tell apart because they all have that same easy going pop-punk vibe.
4th N’ Goal’s cover of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Drown” comes in at the perfect time in the EP, however, really kicking things up a notch. The band’s rendition of the song is absolutely flawless – a catchy as hell pop-punk version of the hardcore track, with vocals filled with emotion, strong harmonies, and everything that makes the rest of Turn on the Light strong. As far as cover songs go, 4th N’ Goal’s version of “Drown” is easily one of the best executed songs I’ve heard in a very long time.
“Ken Burns,” the final track on Turn on the Light, is another one of the strongest songs on the EP, successfully starting and ending it on a high note. “Ken Burns” is high energy, full of incredible vocal harmonies, strong guitar work and a memorable chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head by the time the EP comes to a close. Though Turn on the Light has its highs and lows, there are definitely more strong points on this EP than there are weak ones, making it absolutely worth the listen. 4th N’ Goal are bound to make a name for themselves with this release.
Rating: 3.5/5
Listen to “Pickles”