Weymouth-based punks Weatherstate have returned with their second album, Never Better (Rude Records), a lethargic commentary on the current state of the world. Bringing a unique edginess to pop-Punk, the band shines a light on the common outlook of society over the past few years. The vocals deliver an ironic unity of bouncy melodies and jeering grittiness. Though they provide a limited range in pitch and tone, the monotony works for the record’s apathetic theme.

The short but sweet ‘Low’ opens the album with light, graceful guitar and lo-fi vocals, which then fade into an ascending screech. The abrupt change in sound introduces Never Better’s inner conflict of helplessness and sarcastic desensitization to reality. Jumping right into lead single ‘Hangar’, the opening guitars of this song could get a room full of people moving fast. Vocalist Harry Hoskins sings about becoming numb to everything, and consequently finding coping mechanisms for better or worse.

 

The melancholic ‘Pity Lines’ captures the burnout from preceding track ‘Here In My Hell’’s erratic perspective. Shoegaze-y tones create a dreamy ambience to make you feel like you’re floating into dissociation from the world. ‘Down’ then breaks through that atmosphere like a snap back to reality.

With its tuneful chorus and earworm guitar lines, ‘Headstone’ stirs up a mood that almost feels playful. Hoskins describes the search for meaning in life with the support of loved ones through the thick and thin of the journey, making this song as optimistic as the record gets. The sentiment doesn’t last long, as penultimate track ‘Never Getting Better’ sums up the album’s message with lines “Cynical and blind, a bullet in the mind, never getting better in time, and that’s alright.” Finale ‘Dead Space’ flaunts an uproarious outro of shrieking guitars and a catchy riff that gradually slows down with each repeat. Blaring feedback comes to a sudden halt for the song’s close, wrapping up the album in a sardonic bow.

 

What’s funny about Weatherstate is that although they never stray from their signature sneering energy, they embrace their grungy and melodic sides in a way that gives each one its own purpose – the Punk being the underlying darkness, and the Pop being the snide mask for those defeatist notions. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing with the wolf still recognizable, Never Better places the band’s pessimistic views in a sparkling, flowery frame.

 

Buy the album here: https://music.ruderecords.com/headstone

 

7 / 10

COLLEEN KANOWSKY