Rocking like its 2000 again

Across 2018 for one reason or another most rock albums have passed me by but there’s something fantastically retro about Can’t Swim and their album ‘This Too Won’t Pass’ that called me back to my last year in school and college youth.

Across the ten riff-laden tracks Can’t Swim permeate the space between Blink 182 and Papa Roach’s style of Americana and Linkin Park’s occasional screemo vocals but with a smattering of modernisation. At its heart, its a riot on the senses to give you a call to arms but Can’t Swim are happy to shift tempos and setups to show their diversity too.

Particular standouts for me are the chanting anthem of ‘Sometimes you meet the right people at the wrong times’ with its huge choruses and riffs, whereas the fluidity of the drums and guitars make ‘Hell in a Handbasket’ a really understated piece of class. ‘Malicious 444’ shows the band at their most shouty but also plays it alongside some of the more delicate and riff fused guitars. ‘Daggers’ is a chart hit in waiting whilst the softer, slower side showcased in the closing track ‘Winter of Cicada’ feels mature, full of flourish and rich with emotion.

The fact that Can’t Swim have tapped into my emo youth is a good thing – this genre doesn’t need or want to change much and the emotion and listener plugs into a good band with their riffs and words. Whilst the words aren’t always on subjects I could relate to (i.e. the burn out of touring), the songs themselves stand up as superb energetic anthems to mosh until the early hours.

Recommended track: Hell in a Handbasket

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