A three-song EP release from Dre Carlan sticks to a wildly fun and addictive punk format and does so with a wonderful charisma that blends color and edginess to deliver songs that are kind of classic and stick with you for a long time after they're over.
The Best Of: Pop-Punk EP is brimming with energy and it's the kind of energy that really sticks with you as well because it's thriving the entire time and doesn't let up but at the same time, it gives off a lot of melodically robust hooks and I think it's that combination that makes it something special.
The record has a combination of something that feels slightly lo-fi with something that feels polished and while produced and I think that middle ground is also feeding into the aesthetic of what real pop punk sounds like.
You can tell these songs all came from someplace real and there was definitely a lot of attention to detail when they were created but they have some heart and that is part of what gives it so much character.
I feel like it's that character that gets you attached and keeps you there.
I love that classic sort of '90s punk tonality that these songs embody, and you can hear a lot of those influences coming through, and all three of these tracks and, they each have something a little bit different to bring to the table and it's outstanding how well Dre can adapt to the songs in terms of how he sings.
The vocal approaches are well thought out but it's delivered with a great style, so it feels like some of these songs or songs that have been on the radio for years and you just missed out on them.
That is a cool thing because you don't come across it often so when you do it's quite refreshing.
Listening to this record is even slightly nostalgic for me simply because I grew up in a certain time. Listening to pop punk was a big deal and something that my friends and I did often.
I feel like this little EP is an ode to some of the bands that inspired Dre to partially become a musician as well.
This was vivacious and had a bit of punch that it packed which is definitely part of what made it so fun but there were also those melodic hooks and this amazing sonic drive as well.
That guitar tone helped drive this thing home and it worked perfectly because the songs came through again kind of feeling like these are classic '90s pop punk songs that you just never got to hear yet.
I had a ton of fun listening to this record and if you're a fan of that era of pop punk then you're definitely going to love it as well because these songs are nailed and that full aesthetic shines through.
You can tell this comes from someone who has a pure love for the craft of songwriting in general just because there's attention to detail in the creation, arrangement, composition, and recording approach.
I feel like these songs came out exactly the way they were meant to, and Dre probably had certain elements of them or the entire thing in his head and finally was able to get them out.
I would suggest listening to this whole EP instead of just one track because each one, again, has something a little different to offer but also, if you like one song, you are going to like them all.
So, dive into this record when you can, and don't be afraid to turn it up because it sounds even better that way.
Enjoy the pop-punk sounds of Dre Carlan who by the way has also released other genres of music including hip-hop.
But again, start with this one. You won't be disappointed.
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