ALBUM REVIEW: Chief State – Waiting for Your Colours
As the weather gets warmer, the unashamed, unabashed poppiness on Waiting for Your Colours is a breath of fresh air. The hooks are sharp, the choruses are slick, and the lyrics are sometimes tongue-in-cheek.
When it comes to what you could consider the more standard or pure pop-punk sound, tracks like Continental Drift and Out for Me are easy wins. Crisp, quick, clean, it’s impressive how effortless they make being this good seem.
The vibrant Team Wiped stands out with soulful guitars and a shoulder-shifting chorus. If I had to pick the one track of the ten here that could find the most mainstream success, it’s this one by a country mile, a real earworm and a sound that Chief State are more than capable of pulling off.
Burning Out is a song that encapsulates many of the trademarks of the genre, with all the angst you could wish for.
22 Reasons is an uptempo cracker with an anthemic air to it, a killer drum beat and smooth riffs.
The album is a very well-crafted pop-punk gem – with more than enough infectious energy and contrasting moments to provide an excellent start-to-finish experience. But to fully experience the beauty contained within the album, a grasp of the intense themes of loss, longing, and love is needed in order to provide the context that highlights the beautiful juxtaposition between light and dark. It encapsulates the very essence of the pop-punk genre. If you’re a long-time fan of pop-punk, or whether you’re looking to dip your toe into the water, this is a good place to start or extend your pop-punk journey. It’s an impressive piece of work and stands as a shining star in 2022.
Waiting for Your Colours is OUT NOW!
