Lions Lions are a band you should be listening to, but probably aren’t.  Regardless of the years spent developing in the local New England scene  in a myriad of other very talented bands (including Vanna and Therefore I Am),  Lions Lions continue to fly under the radar amongst the throngs of  typical pop-punk bands now clogging up a new generation’s iTunes. Their  new full-length, To Carve Our Names,  looks to change all that with some very consistent material and a new  label lending the support needed to get this album some much needed  recognition—but is it deserving of such acclaim?
Well, yes and  no. Perhaps it was my anticipation going into the album. I was expecting  something a little more groundbreaking, but To Carve Our Names just didn’t connect with me in the way I was hoping for. I was a big fan of the band’s last EP, The Path We Take, and so going into my first listen, expectations were admittedly very high. But the album just didn’t deliver in a major way. 
It  certainly has it’s high points, and overall I’d have to say it’s a  solid release that I’m sure will grow on the listener over time, but it  tends to struggle, especially for the first few tracks. The band shines  when blending their post-hardcore driven sound with a diverse set of  influences, but unfortunately they tend to stick to a more typical  formula, rarely straying from their comfort zone. This results in a few  watered-down tracks that sound more like filler or b-side material, and  though these songs carry all the traits Lions Lions are known for:  catchy choruses, a clear hardcore influence, and the occasional  breakdown, they just don’t hold up to the bar set on previous releases. 
Thankfully,  the album contains enough great moments to warrant the occasional  misstep. While the later tracks don’t carry any significant surprises,  they at least break away from Lions Lions’ familiar mold with some  interesting structure changes and a seemingly moodier tone to the songs.  Tracks such as "Losing Balance" and "Letting Go" demonstrate this  expansion perfectly, and even hint at some potential we’ve yet to see  from the band. 
While I doubt To Carve Our Names is the album to send Lions Lions’ career careening into the spotlight,  it should at least garner some real interest in the band. It falls short  from time to time with some obvious redundancies, but that could easily  be said for most of the genre as of late. If you’re looking for some  edgier pop-punk, don’t skip this release.
 
         
             
            