Review: Not Tonight, Josephine – “Common Gold” EP

NOT TONIGHT,JOSEPHINE

ALBUM: COMMON GOLD EP

RELEASE DATE: 2013

GENRE: POP PUNK/POST HARDCORE

RATING: 8/10

Common Gold sees Not Tonight, Josephine returning to pack a hefty punch compared to previous releases, bringing in heavier riffs, harsh vocals, and an overall rougher sound to make Common Gold the best release yet!

Common Gold finishes up at around 19 minutes long, and presents a nice amount of material in that time. The album is well paced, never getting too ahead of itself or slowing down at the wrong times. Not Tonight, Josephine’s biggest strength is in their ability to very quickly adjust their style; they can shift from fairly heavy post hardcore to shimmery pop punk in an almost painless transition.

The production and musicianship on Common Gold is top notch. The riffs crunch at the right times, and shimmer in the others. The clean vocals sound slightly similar to a lot of other current bands right now, but the harsh vocals make up for it, packing a harsh enough punch to make Not Tonight, Josephine heavy enough to stand out. As is always so vital in harsher styles of music, the rhythm section pounds away, pulling it all together. The excellent thump in the background makes the driving sections of Common Gold feel more “in your face.”

 Common Gold is leagues ahead of Not Tonight, Josephine’s other work. The EP shows droves of untapped potential in Not Tonight, Josephine; if the band has already come so far, it will be an exciting venture to follow them as they advance in their careers.