By Dawn Boyd
‘Everything Opposite’, the second EP in an experimental collection for two well-known artists, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 and Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, bring us a bit of a jump from the first EP ‘Strange Love’. The first seemed like a test, a bit of an experiment for the two. Mark is no stranger to off shooting his talents in other bands such as +44 with fellow Blink member Travis Barker and Alex’s band sits in a genre that was heavily influenced by the punk sounds of Blink 182. It must be a somewhat intimidating experience to work with someone of such punk pedigree.
‘Strange Love’ was a good escape and both EPs create good driving music, but that is where the similarities end for me. Using the lyrics ‘Everything Opposite’ pretty much sums up this sequel. In true form, they have taken vibrant, optimistic sounds to cover over what are some dark truths in the lyrics. The first release, ‘Special’, highlights a lot of negativity shrouded with sounds and the experiments taken from the first EP. It’s almost a highlight to the main message of what I see the album as seeming to tell a story of side to the high life that people don’t understand. The constant need to be accepted and the sense of validation when standing on the stage and what that does to a brain when you aren’t up there being hailed as a hero by thousands upon thousands at a time.
There are a lot of talks addiction and alcohol which is something unfortunately that comes in so heavily behind the scenes for both artists either personally and/or indirectly. It is a strong topic to consider and a delicate subject to touch upon with the audience they have of mixed ages that can be easily influenced. It’s a clever way to create when there are so many people dealing with such negativity behind closed doors and that is kind of how this EP works.
It’s not hard to hear their own band experiences and ideas when listening to this piece and it is, despite the heavy load of it, quite an easy listen. With the hidden messages, it’s no wonder it’s an EP rather than scaling up to more with a full album as its light sounds make it easy to brush off the negative, and I like that. It’s making the bad a slow healing process, a catharsis to deal with in little steps; an excellent metaphor.
Like I stated previously it does create a bridge in difference from the first EP that you would be forgiven for thinking they weren’t the same people. You would understand with a gradual maturity, but they do contrast well if you take them both as separate. In this respect, the two are incomparable. Bands do mature and age, its expected. They age as do their fan base and Mark Hoppus would know it well given his history. I can’t not mention the fifth Blink 182 album when talking of band maturation because that really was a momentous moment to step up as the band members truly took on their own position in life. They were no longer boys but men with responsibilities. For Simple Creatures to build that gradient so quickly and only with two EPs as opposed to full albums is somewhat skilful, but also shows their perfect choice.
The title is very appropriate because this EP is definitely ‘Everything Opposite’ from ‘Strange Love’ – and that is definitely not a bad thing in this case.
‘Everything Opposite’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
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