WEST FRIENDS RETURNS WITH A REFLECTIVE NEW SINGLE “TELL ME IT GETS BETTER”

Our friends, West Friends, have been putting out absolute bangers this year. Their newest single, “Tell Me It Gets Better,” promises a fantastic close to their pre-release cycle, right before the real magic happens. It’s an instant pop-punk classic, full of introspective lyricism and feigned optimism.

Mental health topics are referenced clearly, especially with the single’s pill bottle artwork. While clever, this choice could have been seen as out of place or inappropriate—but it isn’t. Instead, West Friends is self-aware, suggesting, “hurt people hurt people, and I guess I’m one.” This isn’t only a clever turn-of-phrase, but very emotionally intelligent. They may not think it will “get better,” but they earnestly hope it will.

Sonically, the track follows a palatable pop-punk format that is, simply put, satisfying to the soul. As summer approaches quickly, the classic pop-punk soundscape becomes an instatiable craving for many nostalgia-fueled, Vans-wearing people, for whom it was never just a phase. “Tell Me It Gets Better” fits in perfectly well with the Warped Tour revival era, with glittering guitar riffs and a gritty bassline roaring through our headphones.

So far, “Tell Me It Gets Better” is West Friend’s strongest single. If this is any indicator of their full-length debut, fans are in for a real treat. We are, effectively, witnessing the rise of the scene’s next up-and-comers, in real time—and what a privilege that is.