Words: Ray Moore/Picture: Ben Bolon

I listen to a lot of music, and boy do I mean that. However I don’t stick to just one genre or a few, I’m all over the place. I listen to rock to punk to bluegrass. This is where it gets crazy to me. I do not like all these different genre names, I repeat, I DO NOT LIKE GENRES!!!! I feel most to all artists can be placed into a few genres. I’m OK with rock, metal, pop, punk and hardcore and so on. There are two names I am not fond of, one I have already covered and that is emo. The other is easy-core. What in the poop is easy-core? Well let me tell me you. Chances are you probably listen or have heard one or two easy-core bands.

Easy-core is described as a subgenre of punk consisting of pop punk bands inspired by hardcore punk. Musical characteristics include shout-backs, sing-a-longs, and positive, uplifting lyrics. That is according to Urban Dictionary. That’s on point pretty much. I however can break it down for you even more: pop-punk with breakdowns and the occasional screaming. There, does that work for you? So, now on to some bands.

To be honest I don’t think anyone really knows when this started but most would say it started with New Found Glory. I am OK with that, as they are my favorite pop punk band. In my memory they were the first to do the things mentioned above. One of the bigger bands that gets lumped in with easycore is A Day to Remember. I personally go back and forth on if they are. They for sure have the qualities at times. In my eyes the one band that is Easycore all the way is Four Year Strong. They do this genre proud. When it is all said and done they will be known as the blueprint for easycore. There is no doubt about it. Another well-known band in the genre is one that has been on hiatus but recently announced a string of shows in California. Yep I’m talking about Set Your Goals. I expect that we will hear/see more of them this year, maybe Warped. While these are a few bands that you should already know, this article is about a few you may not know but should.

First up is For The Win, a band out of San Diego, CA. I first came to know of this band sometime last year. They were playing a show here in Columbus with some bands I’m not a fan of, so I didn’t go. It wasn’t until after the show that I learned they were an easycore band. Since that point they have been a constant in my rotation. These guys have been crafting their sound since 2010. It’s a sound that has grown in their short career. They haven’t released an album since 2014, so we can probably expect one this year. Until then you can catch them on the road, starting with Conveyer and Until We Are Ghosts from March through April and then late April through June on what is the most easycore tour of the year so far, The Guardians of Easycore tour with Abandon by Bears and Tuned Up favorites Settle Your Scores.

 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV6pi4rAKFg[/youtube]

 

Next up is band I slept on for a few years. I advise you to not do the same. If you have a friend that has suggested you listen to this band, then go do that. I owe my new found vicious love of Knockout Kid to my pal Ryan Johnston. I really have been missing out. They have a very contagious sound that I find myself getting lost in. Like For the Win, Knockout Kid has been around since 2010, so you haven’t missed much. However in that time they have released 2 EPs and 2 LPs, with the last LP, Manic being released last week on Bullet Tooth records. And it is a barnburner. It very well may end on my year end list. One of the standout tracks is “Jurassic Park After Dark”. It features guest vocals from Trey Sexton. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, well shame on you. Trey is the singer of missing in action easycore band Kid Liberty. Back in 2010 they released one of my favorite easycore albums. You also may know them from their cover of “F@#k You” by Cee Lo Green. Back to Knockout Kid, 2016 should be the year they breakout, so don’t miss out. Oh and don’t forget to STAY LIT!!!

 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGAWIFlUSGE[/youtube]

 

 

The last band has a special place in my heart for a simple reason. They inspired this article back in September of last year. But I just felt the timing was never right to do it until now. Which they had a hand in again. That band is Settle Your Scores. Last September I went to show with a friend not knowing any of the bands and it turned out to be my show of the year. Every band on the bill killed it. Before that show my easycore intake was down, way down. But all it took was that one show and my daily intake has increased since. Settle Your Scores is one of the bands that I listen to often. They recently released their debut album, which was reviewed here on Tuned Up by yours truly.  So I’m not going to talk about it. Go read the review. But anyhow this Cincinnati 5 piece are making waves locally and regionally. It’s only a matter of time before that is nationally as well. I really thought back in December they were one of the new band announcements from InVogue. As it turns out they were not. That’s OK, something better will come their way. This for sure is band I would not sleep on. They are a part of this easycore revival that is happening at this moment. If you get the chance to see them live, please do. They are also on the Guardians of Easycore tour.

 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BMlFGTKnjg[/youtube]