THE CHANDELIER SWING KEEP OLD-SCHOOL POP PUNK ALIVE ON ALWAYS RIGHT HERE
Remember when pop punk was all about lightning-fast drums, ridiculously catchy choruses, and guitar riffs that made you want to jump off your bedroom furniture? Well, The Chandelier Swing certainly does. Their five-track EP, Always Right Here, is a love letter to the glory days of early-2000s pop punk, packed with enough energy to make Warped Tour veterans feel twenty years younger. But don't mistake this for another nostalgia trip. These guys have serious chops and plenty of personality to match. We spun the EP track by track, and here's what we thought.
“You’re Something Else” fires off “Always Right Here” without a second's hesitation. Like a fuse hitting a bomb, the opening pick slide sets this pop-punk explosion in motion, and from there, it’s all uphill. Yes, that’s an homage to New Found Glory.
Flashes of early Saves the Day and Senses Fail run through the track, while rapid-fire double-time drums bring serious Rufio energy to the mix. It’s fast, ridiculously catchy, and soaked in the kind of early-2000s pop punk that makes you want to immediately find the nearest show and start yelling along with a room full of strangers.
If “You’re Something Else” doesn’t make you want to catch Chandelier Swings at an upcoming gig, you might be a mess of a human.
Track two brings us to the EP’s single, “Those White Flags Are No Match for Our Muskets,” which might just be the longest song title in pop punk history. But hell, we get it. The Chandelier Swing keeps the pop punk spirit alive with punchy guitars, infectious hooks, and enough energy to make you feel like you’re back at Warped Tour in its glory days. There’s even a gang vocal section where everyone joins in, and it hits harder than a crowd surfer getting dropped in a parking lot. It’s loud, ridiculously fun, and practically demands a singalong. If you grew up blasting Four Year Strong, this one's got your name written all over it.
“Rochambeau” is an absolute ripper that puts The Chandelier Swing’s musicianship front and center. The guitar riffs are sharp and ridiculously catchy, the drums are firing on all cylinders, and the bass refuses to get lost in the mix. Add killer vocals, and you’ve got a track where every member gets a chance to shine.
What makes this one especially impressive is how effortlessly everything comes together. The band sounds tight, confident, and completely locked in, delivering the kind of pop punk that reminds us why we fell in love with the genre in the first place.
Which brings us to one very important question: How the hell is this band not bigger already?
Seriously. With songs like “Rochambeau” in their arsenal, The Chandelier Swing deserve a hell of a lot more attention. If they keep putting out music this good, we won't have to wait long.
Track four, “Kid Gorgeous,” is a full-blown singalong that practically demands you belt out every word at the top of your lungs. The chorus, with its lyrics about chasing fireflies through dreams and finding happiness in the little things, is ridiculously catchy and has that nostalgic, feel-good quality that pop punk does so well. It's the kind of hook you find yourself singing long after the song has ended.
Much like the tracks before it, The Chandelier Swing is completely locked in. What really stands out is the band's uncanny ability to layer guitars, vocals, and rhythms without sounding cluttered. A lot is happening underneath the surface, but every instrument has room to breathe, and nothing feels like it's fighting for attention.
And just when you think the song couldn't get any better, the band pulls out one last trick: a seriously sick double-guitar solo to close things out. Two guitars going at it, trading licks and adding an extra shot of adrenaline to an already killer track. It's the perfect finishing touch to a song that was already begging to be played on repeat.
“Always Right Here” closes out the EP with the same ferocity that kicked it off. We're talking double-time drums, breakneck tempos, ripping guitars, and enough energy to make you wonder if the Chandelier Swing even knows what slowing down means.
Some moments bring to mind the early days of The Ataris, especially in the melodies and that unmistakable old-school pop-punk urgency. But as the track progresses, something becomes pretty clear. Chandelier Swings aren't just borrowing from the bands that came before them. They've taken those influences and built something that sounds distinctly their own.
It's fast, heartfelt, and a fitting way to close out an EP that rarely takes its foot off the gas. “Always Right Here” leaves you wanting more, which is exactly how a great closing track should.
Always Right Here delivers five tracks of blistering drums, killer guitar riffs, infectious hooks, and everything we love about old-school pop punk. The Chandelier Swing wear their influences proudly, but they also bring enough originality and serious musicianship to prove they're more than just another Warped Tour nostalgia act.
The guitars are sharp, the rhythm section is ridiculously tight, and the vocal melodies will stick in your head long after the EP ends. No track is weak, which makes you wonder how the hell these guys aren't bigger already.
If you grew up blasting New Found Glory, Rufio, Saves the Day, or Four Year Strong, Always Right Here deserves a spot in your rotation. Pop punk isn't dead, and The Chandelier Swing are making a pretty damn good case for keeping it alive.
