Hailing from our nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., come the melodic punk band American Television. The band formed around 2013 and has been hitting it hard ever since their inception with multiple releases under their belts. The band’s latest release, You’re Not Alone, is a six-song EP that is slated to drop on September 19th via Smartpunk. This is a follow up from their previous full length, Scars, that was released through the same label in 2023.
As soon as this EP kicks off with the opening track “This Is Hell”, you are instantly bobbing your head and air drumming. The songs have great, memorable guitar riffs that glide right into your ear hole and burrow into your brain. The vocals are intense at times and go from gravel-ly to clean with hooks that keep you engaged and singing along. There’s a subtle Ramones influence buried deep into these structures and tone, but it’s not that simple. The band merges midtempo skate punk with unforgettable hooks and melodies for days. As I was listening to these songs, I was magically transported to another state. Not of consciousness, but of locale. I can hear elements of the classic Minnesota punk sound that I absolutely love that have been dialed in by bands like Off With Their Heads and Dillinger Four.
The production is great on this album. It sounds large and has the perfect blend of dirty punk tone and polished sound. I’m sure being in a band surrounded by politics, no matter what administration is in, would inspire lyrics and angst. However, living there in our current political climate would be taxing. I seriously doubt you’d have any writer’s block when you wanted to write socially conscious lyrics like American Television does. The lyrics touch on anthems of resistance and resilience. They cover honest and angry topics while offering hope, and not overtones of hopelessness. The band offers lyrics that are a light in these unprecedented times where it can feel dark and lonely. That is the whole concept of this EP and title track – “You’re Not Alone”.
My top three personal favorites on this release would have to be “Rodeo Clown”, “This Is Hell”, and “Stronger”. This is a solid punk rock band and release from the lyrics down to the music. Fans of Banner Pilot, [Off With Their Heads[/b], and The Copyrights will need to put this in regular rotation.
