Walnut Creek’s The Story So Far has been a part of the new wave of pop punk bands for going on about a decade now, bringing an emotive and earnest approach to songwriting that pays homage the foundations of the pop punk genre while updating that sound for a new generation of listeners. What sets Proper Dose apart from a lot of albums in the genre is the maturity of their sound– sure there are references to lost love, broken relationships, and the struggles to escape a life you felt you weren’t meant to lead, but there’s more here when you peek under the surface. Whether it be the perils of substance abuse (“Keep This Up”) or a triumphant rise from the ashes like a phoenix after a few hard years (“Light Year”), lead singer Parker Cannon takes you through a captivating journey of self-realization which connects with me in a way that doesn’t feel disposable in a way a lot of other artists in the genre can sometimes be. In other words, this is more The Menzingers’ After The Party or The Wonder Years’ The Greatest Generation rather than their bubblegum contemporaries. Outside of Cannon’s songwriting a lot of that emotional urgency is due to the backing band behind him– Kevin Geyer (lead guitar), Will Levy (rhythm guitar), Kelen Capener (bass), and Ryan Torf (drums) absolutely unleash on all their parts, bringing a heaviness to their musicianship that underscores the themes present in Proper Dose.
Standout Songs: “Keep This Up”, “Take Me as You Please”, “If I Fall”, “Light Year”
Matthew. 