The days of defending pop-punk are long gone – it’s back in full swing, as bands like Meet Me @ The Altar and Action//Adventure have quickly gone from indie gems to big-label darlings. A genre where emotions are on full display, I particularly enjoy when unclean vocals and breakdowns are involved. Classics such as Four Year Strong and Set Your Goals are near and dear to me, and it’s great to see another band on the scene capture this sentiment again in Good Terms. Today, their debut album is finally out, and I’m here to give you the lowdown:
Ahead of debut album Turning Point, lots and lots of singles came about – six, in fact! I find it bold for a band to basically put half the album out before the full release, but it’s actually a sign that they have enough confidence for all of those songs to succeed. As such, it’s a safe bet that there isn’t a lot of filler in the end product.
In the case of Turning Point, that rings true! Branded as “Your Friendly Neighborhood Emo Band”, the booming guitars overlay angsty lyrics like “Is your life all that you wanted? / Do you go through every day as who you’re not? / Cause I’ve known who I wanna be / Since I was fuckin’ seventeen” in “Wither Away”. With ample variation between sentimental/moody songs and heavier/vitriolic ones, the variety ensures a lack of stagnation between tracks. Fans of pop-punk/emo will see clear inspiration, but simultaneously enjoy how Good Terms finds their niche.
Standout tracks for me include the campy song “Hamster Wheel”, the pulpy “Chess” teeming with anger, and the strained “Pedestal”.
Special props go out to the album artwork – it includes every song title within it to craft a true visual representation of the record. With a consistent art style in a busy piece, artist Wicaksono Azis deserves a shoutout.
Sometimes you can just tell when a band has the potential to get big – Good Terms is one of those bands, thanks to a familiar-yet-all-their-own sound backed by smart production and songwriting coming together. As the band isn’t even a year old yet, this is as strong a start as one could hope for the group.
Rating: 8.5/10
