Chunk! No, Captain Chunk - Pardon My French
If there is one band on the scene at the moment that is all about youthfulness, having fun and making the most of our time in this life, then Chunk! No, Captain Chunk would be it. Paying homage to their childhoods with the band name (reference from The Goonies) you can only imagine what they have in store with a twelve track album titled Pardon My French.
This second offering, the follow up to their 2010 debut Something for Nothing, is swamped by a good time party essence, dripping with various rock vibes combining all of the influences the band members hold close, from pop-punk to post-hardcore. Restart is the opening track and for many listeners the first chance to experience the sound of Chunk! No, Captain Chunk for themselves. It is a song that as an opener makes an impact, sets the standards and the direction for what the remainder of the album is about to unleash.
There are two different aspects to this album, each able to stand alone as a high-lighting feature but when combined really leave a lasting impression. Firstly there are the catchy, up tempo pop punk melodies, the crazy sounds that get your toes tapping and your inner teen jumping about. With this comes the tracks with the lighter vocals; the ones you want to sing along with such as Reasons To Turn Back and the single Taking Chances.
Then there are the hardcore tones that pop in every now and then, which add some extra depth and a tougher exterior to the band. The occasional track keeps this heavier style a little closer to heart such as the album's title track, I Am Nothing Like You and Bipolar Mind which concludes with a blast of passion, strength, heavier vocal tones and a punch from the guitar riffs and drumming.
The album ends as brilliantly as it opened with The Best Is Yet To Come, and if this album is anything to go by, there is no doubt that there are more great things on the agenda from this band. Pardon My French is one of the most impressive albums you will hear as it stands on a platform for pop punk melodies yet is able to incorporate heavier sounds and vocals, and in doing so they make it work so well. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk has longevity...just like The Goonies, this will be remembered for years to come.