North to Emerson
Anywhere but Here
If you’ve been to the Warped Tour you know that it is impossible to listen to all of the bands that perform at that punkfest. North to Emerson would be one of those bands that you may not have initially went to see, but judging by the energetic fun that is listening to Anywhere to Here, their second album, they would certainly become a band to look out for. North to Emerson sound like a fusion of Rancid’s Tim Armstrong’s vocals, the happy fun punk-poppy good times that New Found Glory tries but fails to capture and the overall greatness of Green Day’s early days. If you’re looking for a riot, listen for “You Said It Yourself,” a straight-up hard-core Dropkick Murphy’s-style punk that incites the most blood and bruises from the mosh pit. On the perfect pop song, “Closed,” North to Emerson bare their emotional side because “I worry all the time/ About things I can’t control/ I’m closed tonight/ Head in my hands.” They also prove that they can flat out rock on “Again and Again,” with driving guitar verses and drum-killing choruses that prove North to Emerson know how to be serious, but also how to have fun. They transition fluidly from power-pop-punk to in-your-face thrashers to sensitive pop tunes (that actually work). Anywhere to Here is an album that is a must for any fan of Warped Tour punk rock.
North to Emerson: http://www.myspace.com/northtoemerson
