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NTR: LAST CALL FOR PUNKS

Yeah No For Sure are the region’s newest pop-punk outfit. The four-piece band deliver blistering songs with nostalgia pangs for skate-punks everywhere. They offer a raw brand of pop-punk and have recently released a live-off-the-floor EP recorded at The Sugar Shack in London, ON.

As pop punk makes a resurgence, fans of the genre are met with polished, overly produced records. Yeah No For Sure is no-bullshit, straightforward and honest. It’s rare to hear a band of this genre deliver a gutsy, riff-packed epic—especially one that incorporates dissonance, slamming riffs and complex guitar work. I’ve said before that production is as much of an instrument as the music itself; Live at the Sugar Shack is a great example of such a sentiment.

Listeners can hear the warble of a live performance in the vocals, whereas most bands will attempt to auto-tune or pitch shift in post-production. Audiences get the uncut, raw goods. “Apathetic Emergency” is lyrically cemented in irony. Its surfy backbeat and tight composition is the perfect delivery for a song about anxiety, embracing vulnerability while shrugging off the pain of being sensitive.

In “Old Dog” a defeatist sentiment is expressed. “I feel like an old dog—- so frail and confused at why I’m dying. I’ve learned these new tricks for you,” the song goes.

The lyricist is conveying the feeling of trying to impress or keep someone happy to the point of exhaustion. The band relates to listeners by delivering personal messages through nostalgia-packed punk– connecting on multiple levels with fans.

Emotional complexity in punk gives listeners something to hold on to and Yeah No For Sure demonstrates their need to connect with fans on a deep level without making compromises to their musical integrity.

Live at the Sugar Shack is served in classic punk fashion. Every song on this record is fast, unhinged and delivered with intensity. The record is a refreshing take on the pop-punk genre, endeavouring to innovate while staying true to their roots. With tracks laid bare and absolutely no production trickery to hide behind, the KWC punks do what punks do best—be honest.