The decades of PR machines hard at work have made New York and London synonymous with punk rock, but, as Tess & The Details’ debut album shows, San Fransisco (the whole Bay Area, really) deserves to be held in that same regard. Runaway, out via Double Helix Records, is an explosive first impression from the new punk rock powerhouses and positions Tess & the Details as a band to proudly wave the banner of San Fransisco punk into the following years.
A late addition to why 2023 has low-key been an excellent year for music, Runaway is great pure melodic punk. The band is tight, and the songwriting is just as sharp. The opening track, “Blondie’s Gonna Die,” is nine-seven seconds of dynamite, a song begging to soundtrack a skateboarding video. From there, the band delivers high-speed and emotionally charged music.
The second song, “Canary,” is a highwater mark for Runaway and shows what Tess & The Details bring. But Runaway itself is an enjoyable listen through and through. “Jester,” in particular, has some clever and infectious wordplay in the chorus.
The music on the album and its production are well-polished, which could deter those who think punk rock is only grit and off-key singing. However, Tess & the Details show that often underneath that immaculate makeup and blonde hair is someone who has gone through some shit. There is more than what meets the eye in the music and the woman belting out the lyrics.
Runaway is the culmination of years of hard work, especially for the band’s frontwoman. Before this debut, Tess Stevens released two EPs under her name, including 2020’s Patient 139; both releases demonstrate an evident love for late-90s/early-2000s punk and emo. Since then, she started her band with her “best friend and developed a solid following online thanks to her openness about her mental health, body issues, and synesthesia. Tess’s ability to be open is a boon, as she infuses her music with the candor and personality she does online.
While Runaway was made for those who have endured similar struggles, songs like “Canary,” “Emergency,” and “Manic” will resonate with anyone who has dealt with dark thoughts on a sunny day. If there’s any major mark against Runaway, the album’s closing track, “No Grave,” doesn’t feel like an adequate finale. Runaway ends too soon, which could either be taken as the album needing a bigger way to end or that Tess and the Details have successfully left us wanting more.
We’ll go with the latter. Runaway is a fantastic debut that establishes Tess & The Details as a rising star in the punk world while leaving room for the band to spread its wings on subsequent releases. Can’t wait to see what they do next, but right now, we’ll keep Runaway on repeat.
