Fluorescents are an easycore-influenced band from Chicago, Illinois that describes their musical genre as “post-pop-punk,” blending traditional pop punk with outside influences. For those unfamiliar with the style, easycore combines pop punk and metalcore, which is basically pop punk with breakdowns. Fluorescents mix this style with sounds reminiscent of the late 2000s and early 2010s with a more modern mix. Their sound would not be out of place on a Pop Goes Punk compilation if they were to release cover songs.
They recently released the deluxe version of their debut album, Scream It At Me, which features 4 new tracks not seen on the previous release. The deluxe version is just over 46 minutes long and features 16 songs of pop-punk energy. Each song is around 3 minutes long. There is not a ton of variety in song lengths, and it’s a very conventional length by pop music standards, but as the saying goes, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
The first track, “Try So Hard,” introduces the pop-punk sound with a vocal-based intro being quickly followed up by an octave chord-based lead guitar riff in the style of bands such as New Found Glory and A Day To Remember. The track has hints of auto-tuned vocals similar to scene metalcore bands of the 2010s, adding an extra layer of pop sensibilities. Their music also delves into metalcore territory with the addition of breakdowns, and the song ends with a synth and drum machine-based outro, highlighting electronic influences.
“Paper Planes” follows a similar formula, continuing with heavy pop-punk vibes and catchy choruses. A standout moment occurs in the bridge around the 2-minute mark, with the addition of synths that perfectly capture the essence of scene bands. The section feels like something taken from Attack Attack’s classic album Someday Came Suddenly.
“Crazy for You” switches vocalists and features a more traditional pop-punk vocal tone similar to bands like The All American Rejects. The band has three vocalists, both guitarists and bassist, who lend their vocal skills to the band’s sound.
“Friday the 13th” shows off the band’s tendencies to reference movies (more of this seen later). The song compares a toxic romantic partner to horror icon Jason Voorhees. The song features the heaviest breakdown of the album, with a pure metalcore style riff that borders into deathcore territory and adds an extra layer of diversity to the band’s sound. The following tracks, “On & On” and “Better Off,” continue with the pop-punk/easycore sound with catchy hooks and a similar structure to most of the other tracks on the album.
“Take It Back” adds a more modern spin with its electronic influences. It features trap-style drum machine beats as opposed to the more 2000s-influenced synths on previous songs. The vocals also feature a slightly more mature, hard rock-leaning tone reminiscent of bands such as Three Days Grace.
“Vibe” is a very pop-leaning track with new instruments, such as a short moment of acoustic guitar, and it gives off a very Song-of-the-Summer vibe (pun intended). “Funeral” is another standard pop-punk track with catchy hooks and synths that feel like something you would hear on the radio at an amusement park. “Roll the Dice” features a heavier, palm-muted rhythm guitar that sets the song apart from previous tracks and helps guide the song’s rhythm along.
“Not Enough” and “Movies” continue with the easycore pop-punk formula, with “Movies” bringing back the previously mentioned repeated motif of movies, similar to how “Friday the 13th” did.
“Sober Lullabies” features a twinkly guitar intro reminiscent of Midwest emo, with chords being picked similarly to bands such as American Football. “Need to Change” is a slower song with a rhythm-based around acoustic guitars. The song builds into a power pop-style ballad with elements similar to the previous tracks. “Ramona” once again brings back the movie references with reference to the classic comic and movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. This movie perfectly matches the vibes of the pop-punk sound that Fluorescents is going for. The last song on the album, “Weekendz” features catchy synths and hooks, bringing back that 2010 scene kid style with the implementation of heavy palm-muted guitar riffs. It also features a fry-sheathed vocal about looking forward to the weekend before going into a breakdown and ending the track with a clean chorus and outro.
Overall, the album features catchy choruses and synth parts with a style that mixes pop punk with other styles that are danceable and, at times, heavy and moshable. Their lyrics cover slice-of-life topics such as relationships, partying, movies, and the weekend, creating something almost everyone can relate to. I recommend the album to pop-punk fans and the 2010s scene kid music. You can find the album on Spotify and follow the band on social media or other streaming services HERE!!!
Written by Naomi Niemiec
