This is one of my "find" records of the year so far. I caught a few songs by The Carolyn at FEST 22 and that essentially put them on my radar, but a new record gets a band even more on my radar.
But I've been struggling on how to describe The Carolyn. I'll start with "like The Lawrence Arms, but specifically the faster Brendan songs. I mean that musically, though. It's upbeat and driving punk but unlike Lawrence Arms, it's also packed with soaring group vocal choruses that lean into the first-person experience. These are songs about "I," the singer, but with an "us" vibe where you sing along to shared emotions and experiences.
The Carolyn really leans into the melodic element in their verse-chorus-verse songs. While it's catchy as heck, fortunately the band doesn't lean into pop production. The vocals are clean and crisp enough, but they also aren't "pro." It's everyperson singalong punk that sometimes tiptoes the line with blue collar rock 'n' roll. So take the earlier comparison, dump it into your cocktail shaker, and add in a good-sized pour of Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band too. Then put your arms on your buddies' shoulders and start singing along for the full vibes.
The topics of the tunes are something of a downer but that's all overtaken by the pure heart and energy that delivers 11 songs in just 18 minutes.
