Anxious
Bambi
In the accompanying material around Anxious’ Bambi, you’ll probably pick up on mentions of ‘big swing’ albums. Cited are blink-182’s self-titled and Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity, albums that redefined their creators and altered their trajectories in major ways, while keeping their initial spirit alive. You might also notice how both of those albums had a longer run-up than their respective bands’ second proper go. And yet, here come Anxious, just a smidge over two years after their debut Little Green House with a follow-up that’s considerable in its advancement. Little Green House was already such a comprehensive, unpretentious emo spin; Bambi, however, revs up to the genre’s one to beat for 2025 so far.
The improvements are incremental but they absolutely add up, to where Bambi carries a lot more than its predecessor did. It’s got a more substantive feel, for one, as Anxious grow from down-the-middle emo reliability into something more openly anthemic. It’s not like blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World were plucked as specific touchstones through sheer chance; the shades of pop-punk and indie-rock are key contributors in fleshing the colour palette out. All the while, a wash of production blends together grandeur and elegance with something rough and rockier. It’s most noticeable in its entirety on Some Girls and Next Big Star, tracks with a temperate emo base and enough else threaded through them to sound all the fuller and richer.
At their most fundamental level, though, there’s the desire within Anxious to make huge anthems that’s clearly on display. Head & Spine and Tell Me Why come paired together as two halves of roiling, emo-heavy pop-punk free of modern tampering (and sporting some truly standout drumbeats from Jonny Camner on the former). Elsewhere, the sprinklings of indie-rock are kept noticeable, diverse and flavourful, whether that’s lush, folksy swirls on Audrey Go Again, or the various whoops that are small components of Counting Sheep and Jacy but still leap out as adornments. It’s all sold upfront by Grady Allen, who isn’t blessed with much range aside from sounding a little croakier on Sunder, but remains perfect for what’s required of him. On an album about growing up and the process of hurtling towards burnout but carrying on out of basic necessity, it’s not like anything other than a mingled blur of attrition, ennui and a cry of release would suffice. Bear in mind, Bambi first took shape when Allen was preparing to finish college, which likely explains why the vibe of Bambi is so perfectly attuned to its themes.
You can nitpick if you want and say it’s not that special, and while that wouldn’t be unfair, the humbleness of Anxious crossed with their shoot-for-the-stars attitude can cover a ridiculous amount of ground. It’s almost inconceivable to picture how a fan of punchy, melodic rock of any stripe won’t find something to like here. That’s the sort of work that Anxious are looking to make, where their particular big swing has the exact shape of the emo staples they likely grew up on. And more than that—as far as the recreation goes, they’re nailing it, pure and simple. This big swing is knocking it out of the park and straight into orbit.
For fans of: Jimmy Eat World, Militarie Gun, Drug Church
‘Bambi’ by Anxious is released on 21st February on Run For Cover Records.
The Dark
The Dark
Ooh, The Dark—sounds…mysterious… Apologies for not falling over with excitement at Guitarist From Of Mice & Men’s new band, but that would require something to actually get excited about. It’s a terrible nothing of band name, for a start, and Alan Ashby is far from the scene celebrity he would’ve been a decade ago. So naturally, there’s the usual air of grandstanding and self-importance being thrust upon them, the attempt to elicit a Pavlovian response that another throwaway metalcore band is worth any amount of time or attention.
If there’s one thing about The Dark that could be deemed noteworthy, it’s how there’s some more synthwave buzz to their electronic palette that’s a bit new. (Not really, but you take what you can get in these situations.) Otherwise, it’s the usual. Here’s a brand of metalcore produced to within an inch of its life, subjugated by the need to cavernous and mid-paced, and finds itself without a memorable quality to speak of. It’s the kind of metal that, without US radio consolidation being such a reliable lifeline, would’ve been taken out by natural selection ages ago. And yet, The Dark are empowered to continue in this way, under the belief that comparisons between LA and a post-apocalyptic world (sketched so broadly that they might as well be a few faint lines on a page) are anything new or insightful.
Just look at the single Chemicals to illustrate that point, where the cited influence from Nine Inch Nails, Deftones and HEALTH would imply something far greater than the scene’s latest Bad Omens knockoff. Obviously there’s not a standout performance to be found, either. Craig Johns Jr. is the requisite passable vocalist, selling these songs convincingly though not so much that he couldn’t be rotated out for any other third- to ninth-stringer if need be. As for Ashby, he gets the same amount of control as he currently does in Of Mice & Men, i.e. a role as an active-rock riff generator with barely an ounce of individuality. There’s also the others, whoever they are. It’s not like it matters when this kind of metalcore never gives a drummer or bassist anything of note to do.
So that’s The Dark, if you even remember. Wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t; the whole thing screams ‘flash in the pan’, and not even a flash bright enough to set off a red reflex. And that’s to be expected, honestly. It’s dated on arrival in a totally unflattering way, seemingly doing the bare minimum to develop its own cache of ideas. Truly, a single recognisable name is the only thing that The Dark have in their favour, and even that’s pushing it. Even the name isn’t unique; the quickest of Google searches will show that at least three bands called ‘The Dark’ have existed, with one of them still being active today! Failures to launch are rarely as blatant and all-encompassing as this.
For fans of: Bad Omens, Of Mice & Men, Asking Alexandria
‘The Dark’ by The Dark is released on 21st February on Arising Empire.
The Deadnotes
Rock ‘n’ Roll Saviour
Sporting a title better fitting of dad-rock never-weres who hit the wall in 1980 but insisted on carrying on, Rock ‘n’ Roll Saviour reflects The Deadnotes’ latest stop on their chameleonic musical tour actually rather nicely. They’ve had their turn with heartfelt alt-rock on 2020’s Courage and Britpop adjacency on their Forever Outsider EP in 2023; now, it’s time for big, bold-as-brass, unabashedly Americanised power-pop that goes for broke any which way possible. That brief pitch is already an easy sell, and a band who’ve proven so deft with melody in the past as The Deadnotes should be able to knock something like that out with no bother. It’s a bit of step up to get as glitzy as they do, but not one that their efforts can’t pay off.
And as with everything they’ve put their name to, it’s ludicrously likable, for the simple reason that The Deadnotes are not ones to play the long game. If power-pop goliaths are where their minds are at, they’re going full tilt—saxophones; wind-tunnel solos and riffs; buzzy synths; a loving embrace of the cheese that coats this style by design; it’s all present. Admittedly, The Deadnotes can be a little quick to run before assessing what they themselves allow for. Particularly on some of the kitschier moments that go full-on into funk and disco, there just isn’t a way for Darius Lohmüller’s straight, purposeful, enunciating voice to gel (see the especially loud clang that comes from Jolene (I’m In Love With A Superstar) sounding like he’s reading his lines for the first time). It’s a different story when there’s clearance to really rip out a vocal; on American Sightseer or Marlboro Man, the fit is way easier.
You can’t fault The Deadnotes for wanting a taste of all the fun this sound offers, though. It is a lot of fun, and despite their version sometimes being a bit shallower than preferable, it’s always good to have these instrumental beats dug out. Jesus Christ! (I’m Sick And Tired Of Falling In Love) throws in that much of a bounty of aurally-arousing pop-rock stimuli that you almost forget to notice some of the wonky balancing. It’s the kind of thing that really endears an album that plays the lows of life closer to misadventures to get back up from. Opener December 31st contains the line “I’m trying hard to be less suicidal”, representative of the exact moment of volte-face for The Deadnotes’ entire existence. The blur of adventurousness on American Sightseer and Reservoir is unmistakable, while Dumb Style and Marlboro Man press on personal growth and forward thinking that’s ultimately integral.
It’s kind of like The Deadnotes themselves in a way, always moving and looking for avenues to progress, and now finding one where the celebratory air is palpable. As a result, it mightn’t be their best album, but it’s easily their most listenable and uncomplicated to find enjoyment in. Plus, it’s just nice to have a band like this who are willing to play around with sillier, over-the-tops pieces of the medium. Amid mountains of overwrought trend-hounding and vaingloriousness, Rock ‘n’ Roll Saviour is the sort of refresher that, despite its shortcomings, you wouldn’t change a thing about.
For fans of: Cheap Trick, Billy Joel, Huey Lewis & The News
‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Saviour’ by The Deadnotes is released on 21st February on Grand Hotel Van Cleef.
Words by Luke Nuttall
