There are a few basic moods to punk. American Television fall into the singalong category. This is short, fast, and predictable melodic punk – and I don’t even slightly mean that in a bad way. Scars tears through 10 songs in probably 20 minutes, balancing whoa-ohs, harmonies and punchy power chords. It all culminates in “Bittersweet” with a refrain of “Broken bones and boiled blood/ Still I come back for more.” It’s about living in a harsh world and finding resolve to come back day in and day out. Like most modern pop-punk it’s about finding time to celebrate the good times amidst the ongoing struggle. Yes it’s poppy, but the songs have real meaning from an adult perspective that balances personal experience with universal emotions. Think a base of Descendents mixed with some Off With Their Heads-like big choruses and a dose of Plow United energy.
One thing that really makes this record work is the powerful vocals from Steve Rovery. He’s actually singing, but it’s harsh and enthusiastic, layered atop those big chords in a ‘90s-style mix that puts the vocals at the center. The instrumentation sets the mood but it’s the emotive impact from the microphone that sets it apart. Tempo-wise, it’s all fast while balancing fun and furious. The guitar leads set the tone nicely, on display in “Death Defier,” among other tracks. There are choppy chords blended with flowing melodic elements and it wavers between these two techniques smoothly. The sequencing of the record plays a big role in this because it’s fairly typical genre stuff where a few similar songs in a row can grow stale but there’s not a down moment on Scars. The short summary here is that American Television does everything you expect of a melodic punk band right now, and they do it right.
