I'd call Jason Paul + The Know It Alls happy punk except, well, it ain't. The lyrics are somber and thoughtful, yet the tone and melodies are uplifting and that's what I go by.
I'd also call it San Pedro chill punk, as it has some similar elements to other bands from the area while maintaining a go-with-the-flow kind of vibe that's critical and observant of the word without yelling about it. There's just a personal, earnest element to the way that Paul sings that cuts through the words and into the heart. You feel it more than you hear it. Many of the melodies remind me of Toys That Kill -- and the band's Sean Cole is a member of The Know It Alls, so it makes sense.
Musically it's uptempo and upbeat: chord-driven punk with bouncy beats and sunny guitar tones. While it fits a style, the band mixes it up quite a bit on the 10-song album. I'd pick "Walking Through A Memory," "Gravity," "Blue In The Face," and "Hitched To A Star" as personal favorites. Meanwhile, "We Shoulda Been" adds an acoustic guitar and a subtle electronic beat that, surprisingly, works really well. Later on the record, "Running For An Exit" doubles down on the electrobeat, making pop-punk for the clubz. The lyrics are partially personal but lean more esoteric.
This is the kind of repetitive, poppy punk that feels deceptively simple, mixing a lot of subtle elements into a familiar sound. You can singalong on your first listen, but you'll keep picking up more layers as you listen on repeat. While I enjoyed Alien Or Martian?, there's greater depth with I'm Absolutely Terrified.
