Album Review: Heartsounds - Until We Surrender

One of Epitaph's latest signings sees the label returning to its roots with Heartsounds; a Bay Area duo made up of Laura Nichol and Ben Murray. 'Until We Surrender' is a racy, thriving punk rock album that rarely slows down

Throughout the male-female vocals sway back and forth nearly perfectly with the anthemic opener ('The Song Inside Me') setting the tone right with Nichol bringing a pop-punk-like melody and Murray baring the bands punk rock side and declares "I’ve found my true calling, and it’s never sounded so fucking good.” They stand and sound very proud.

'Highway Robbery', 'I Climbed For Miles' and 'Reoccurring Grey' thumps their way at an exhilarating speed, whilst the title track is one of the albums highlights, with Nichol's vocals bringig a sense accesiability and to an extent a calming effect, to Murray's raw vocal delivery.

Like The Swellers' 'Ups and Downsizing', Heartsounds' unrelentless energy makes up for their lack variation and concludes with 'Until We Surrender' being a record that sticks to its guns and sees a band being passionate about what they do. It proves to be a record that from to start to finish is filled with driving hooks that are instantly favourable.

4.5/5

'Until We Surrender' by Heartsounds is available now on Epitaph Records.

Heartsounds on MySpace, Twitter, Purevolume, and Facebook.

Sean Reid