We’re in an election year. That’s apparent if you’ve been well aware of your surroundings. You can’t turn on a TV without hearing “I approve this message,” go on 9gag without a “women in binders” meme or even mention the word prop without getting a lecture. One of the issues that always pops up is gay marriage. It’s like, come on now…It’s 2012. 60 years ago I was “wrong” because I’m black and white. Do you see how dumb that even sounds? If we can live in a world where bands like We Are The Union can flawlessly marry Pop Punk and Ska and make it work on their new record You Can’t Hide The Sun, why can’t we all just be with who we want?
Right out the gates “Dust On The Hourglass” lets you know what We Are The Union are all about; Ska encased in Pop Punk. No track rests solely on the Ska elements, but they all have a way of depending on them for the intros and then letting the horns fill in all the necessary parts throughout. “I Want You To Hit Me As Hard As You Can” and my mom’s anthem “If I Can’t Smoke Or Swear, I’m Fucked,” are prime examples of this. In the end you’ll never think you’re listening to RX Bandits, but rather their baby if they musically mated with New Found Glory.
What do you know, speaking of NFG, “Hellbound & Helpless” mentions some “sticks and stones” but that’s not the reason I decided to give it special attention. It’s actually because it happened to be one of the tracks I couldn’t help but revisit time and time again due to its sing-along appeal. Another pair of tracks that deserve some extra focus are “Do What You Love…” and “…And Fuck The Rest.” The titles alone are great examples of the mindset of We Are The Union; they’re young, musicians and are doing whatever the fuck they feel like. The best part is that “…And Fuck The Rest” is just an under a short instrumental that’s like a musical “fuck you, you don’t deserve a verbal explanation.”
When you mix Ska with anything, usually the horns have a tendency to overbear the other style. We Are The Union joined the two together to create a style that’s heavier on the Pop Punk side of the scale. They use their Ska roots to enhance a style that’s ever present right now. It gives them a slight edge and if you like bands like Less Than Jake and Fatter Than Albert, then get yourself We Are The Union’s You Can’t Hide The Sun, out now.
My name is Kendra and I approve this message.
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