by Colin Vallee (@ColinJBeard)
Brooklyn punk band THICK are the sonic equivalent of a jubilant rocket hurtling through space, and they want to bring everyone along for the ride. Their energy has always been part of their effortless cool, and the amount of fun they are able to translate from the stage to the recording booth is something all bands aspire to do. Their most recent release comes with a brand new label, the legendary Epitaph, but loses none of that slap-chop, backyard party punk sound they've built their reputation on over the years. The self-titled EP is comprised of three tracks that more or less give you a taste of their entire discography up until this point.
You have "So Sick" which brings to task all the elitism that lurks around every corner in the music world. Followed by the excellent "Your Mom" which reminds me of some of my favorite Bratmobile and Tiger Trap songs with it's blistering verses and mockingly sing-song chorus:
"Have a baby / Have a career
You’re always late / Don’t be gay
Your mother said to me / Build your life have a family"
The final gem on this EP is the more pop-punk-esque track "Green Eyes," a beautifully succinct song about regret and moving on that features a catchy guitar lead and some wonderful vocal work by the band. It's a much softer THICK than we're used to, but it offers a nice counterweight to the more straightforward punk songs at the beginning of this EP.
THICK's specialty lies in the fact that at everyone at the show is essentially an extension of the band. The photos from their recent release show look more like a house party where everyone is having the best time of their lives while the parents are away for the weekend. There's a lot of wild things happening in the world right now, with new divisions cropping up in the national psyche daily, but THICK have taken to providing catharsis to the world at large with their shout-able choruses and intensely inclusive atmosphere. THICK are having a party, and we're all invited.