Now more than ever is a great time for pop punk bands to be releasing new music. With a resurgence in the genre, there are millions of fans waiting to get another hit of its energy and youthfulness. Aside from the eagerness of listeners, Free Friends’ latest single is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Featuring Hit the Lights and produced by Matt Malpass, known for his work with acts including Blink-182 and Magnolia Park, “Taking Time” is an anthemic pop punk song that does the genre right.
The single begins with a bright guitar riff that creates a thoughtful and innocent tone. When the simple yet driving drum beat enters in, along with the iconic pop punk vocal style from lead singer, Ben DeHan, the song surges with energy, building up to a greater climax.
DeHan’s vocals paired with Nick Thompson’s coarser voice echoing DeHan before the chorus breaks creates a pleasant juxtaposition that offers up a balance of vocal style within the song. In classic pop punk fashion, the chorus erupts in an explosion of volume as the vocals get louder and the drum beat more prominent.
The single also experiments with the addition of vocal effects and electronic drum beats that add a new facet to the song and subtly expand on the modernity of the pop punk genre. Although its presence is obvious, the digital drums don’t take away from the intensity of the actual instrumentation but instead add a new twist to the songs overall sound.
“Taking Time” is another release from Free Friends that yet again exemplifies their ability to keep pop punk alive and interesting in the modern music landscape.
Listen to the single here.
Photo courtesy of Ren Elizabeth
