For Fans of Fall out Boy and Panic! at The Disco

I hate opening bands. A lot. While I’m waiting for the main act to perform, I often get irritated at the sub-par openers that are attempting to gain attention for their music career that will probably never happen. However, when I saw The Wrecks recently open a concert, I found myself captivated by their sound. Upon listening to their debut EP, We Are The Wrecks, I found it to be a great start to a sustainable music career.

The Wrecks are a five-piece band from Los Angeles. After being a band for less than a week, a friend told The Wrecks that he could give them access to a recording studio for 3 days. Over a string of all-nighters, The Wrecks composed their debut EP. After the recording sessions, the band learned that they were never supposed to be in the studio in the first place. In true rock and roll fashion, The Wrecks managed to clean the studio and leave without a trace, but they kept a copy of their first songs.

While this EP was made in a very rushed fashion, the music does not sound like it was a rushed production. “Turn It Up” is a great opening to the album. The lyrics are extremely catchy. In addition to great lyrics, this song also has an extremely well done instrumental background. The bass and guitar are very present; in the best way possible, it screams out to grab your attention. This song helps set the tone for the tracks that follow.

I find the second track, “I Don’t Like You,” to be a bit underwhelming. This song has possibly the best instrumental out of all the songs. However, it is overshadowed by the lyrics. The lyrics tend to come off a bit too strong. The vocals are great, but in my opinion, the lyrics sound a bit like a typical, whiny teenager. I find this song to be a good addition to the punk atmosphere of the album, but the lyrics could have been a bit more polished.

“Favorite Liar” is definitely the standout track on this EP. The instrumental, lyrics, and vocals are that of a well-known, first-class band. The bridge of this song is absolutely brilliant and is super fun to listen to. This song is better than some music of experienced bands, and it is almost too good for a first recording session. This is the hidden gem of the whole EP; if you are going to listen to only one song, I promise this one is worth it.

The material put out by The Wrecks in We Are The Wrecks shows a great array of promise for their next release. After being a stellar opening band for some time, The Wrecks are currently on their first headlining tour and will be making a stop in Grand Rapids. Be sure to check out The Wrecks at the Pyramid Scheme on November 4th. Tickets are available at www.pyramidschemebar.com and range between $12-$15.