ALBUM REVIEW: FIRST ONE SUCKS - ‘FIRST ONE SUCKS’
First One Sucks are a rollicking pop-punk/easy-core juggernaut, who despite what their namesake implies, are about to drop their killer, self-titled debut album. This record finds the band re-recorded…nay, supercharging, songs from previous releases, as well as finally unleashing never-before tunes. Adjust your headphones, crack your neck, and prepare for a barrage of catchy hooks and massive riffs.
The opening track, “What It Comes Down To” is the perfect introduction to the First One Sucks sound. A few moments of electronic and synth sound effects give way to a monstrous guitar breakdown. The guitar and bass lock in perfectly, creating a buoyant slab of heaviness. Of course, the epic pop-punk melodies burst through alongside a galloping drum beat, and, to the delight of everyone, First One Sucks employs a glorious good cop, bad cop duel vocal attack. Naturally, the main vocals are higher pitched pop-punk style, but the backing shouts border close to metal in their intensity! The record’s main single “Hallelujah” immediately follows suit. This is the lead single for obvious reasons. It’s a crazy catchy toe-tapper of a song if there ever was one. The guitar tones on this track are especially clean and given the song’s title, dare we say, border on heavenly. The dueling vocals hit especially hard on this jam, as do the additional pleasant backing voices. This is one of those rare tracks where the chorus, actually sounds like a choir.
There’s some interesting electronic elements introduced on “It’s Funny” while the song “To A Friend” goes all out on experimentation. We’re taking mosh riffs, pummeling drums, throat-shredding screams, haunting keys, a string section, and more choir-inspired backing vocals. Clocking in at just over three minutes and thirty seconds, First One Sucks incorporates almost every trick in the book into this song and it works insanely well. “In My Head” might be one of the heaviest, bounciest tunes on the record. Lyrically this song might be about a lustful fantasy, but musically, this track seems like it was designed to prompt maximum crowd jumping at clubs around the globe. It’s a near-constant stream of battered China cymbals, cracking an imaginary whip over the listener’s headphones while ripping guitar solos and infectious backing “woo-hoos” bellow through the air.
The final moments of First One Sucks are a toned-down affair, as “PNC” is a somber leaning ballad, packed to the brim with acoustic guitars, piano and strings galore. Lastly, the stripped-down, acoustic version of the album opener “When It Comes Down To” eases up on the manic energy and heaviness of the original, but underscores the power of the song’s chorus and the band’s A+ songwriting.
If you’re a fan of high-energy pop-punk that isn’t afraid to stretch its wings and add other elements to its rockin’ sound, you can’t go wrong with First One Sucks new album!
