It’s Tuesday and I’m already counting down the days until the weekend. I’m ready for a little vacation and some time away from my computer (no offense) but, before that happens, I need a new soundtrack to keep the energy high when I will surely be exhausted throughout the weekend. Will Gleaming Streets’ self-titled release be just that? Let’s listen and find out!
I was in love with the pop-punk perfection that kicks off this six-song album instantly. Perfectly nasally and whiny while being so full of emotion, yeah, this is love. I’ll be honest, there are moments throughout this opening track where the vocals felt a little rough but I really liked that element. It instantly took me back to the golden era of the pop-punk scene (that’s the early 2000’s in case you didn’t know). It was as if listening to this opening track instantly put me back at The House of Bricks in Des Moines, Iowa. Surrounded by sweaty strangers and dreading my dad picking me up after the show because he would inevitably do something embarrassing.
“The Other Day” continues with the pop-punk perfection that is Gleaming Streets. I love the driving energy in this track. Sadly, the songs on this release are pretty short to begin with so, the fact that this track has such a forward motion in it, made it fly by but not before hooking me with anthemic power chords and slamming drums. I feel like I’m quickly going to run out of words to describe this EP just because all I can seem to come back to is how perfect this is and how right up my alley everything about Gleaming Streets is.
Although I loved the first two tracks on this album, “Listen Up, Buttercup” was an instant favorite of mine. Again, just the tone of the guitar to the vocal style, it’s just so perfect and I feel like this song is just so nostalgic from beginning to end. I could name bands like The Matches or The Pink Spiders to relate this to but really Gleaming Streets has taken this nostalgic sound and made it their own in such a perfect way. I may or may not be listening to this track on repeat all weekend. My apologies to anyone who gets stuck being around me.
“You’re Not Okay” is only fifty-four seconds long and I honestly probably would have missed this track altogether had I not been watching the timer on my stereo. Minimal vocals and just a powerful beat, I did like that this track acted like a little break before the album rolled into “We’re Not Okay”. These two tracks are sister tracks (as the titles may elude to). I love how “We’re Not Okay” is just the amped up (and longer) version of “You’re Not Okay” but, there are so many other elements in this track that I adore. This one has a very The Matches sound in it with the punchy lyrics but it also has a few very gang-vocal styled parts that I fell head over heels for within the first word.
“Wake Up” closes out this album just as perfectly as “It’s A Better Life” opened it. Again, a perfect pop-punk vibe took over my house for this final track. There’s a little bit more of an aggression in the instrumentation of this track that I loved and wish I had heard more of throughout this album but, instead of making me feel bummed that I didn’t have more of it, it made me optimistic that there is so much more to expect from Gleaming Streets.
Yeah, some parts of this album are rough. I won’t sugarcoat it. There are points where the vocals sound a little forced and just a little flat but I think that is such a nostalgic factor that I love and wouldn’t change for anything. If you’re like me and are still living in a nostalgic haze full of bands like The Matches, The Pink Spiders, Spitalfield, etc, this is the band and the album for you!
My Favorite Track(s): “Listen Up, Buttercup”
For Fans Of: Nostalgia; Pop-Punk Perfection
Nostalgia-ability: 10 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept behind my chair in a ray of sun; Autumn slept upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8.9 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 8.2 out of 10
Check Out Gleaming Streets Here:
Check out ‘Gleaming Streets’ HERE!
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