Beards in Paradise by Margate
The album Beards in Paradise is twenty odd minutes of frenetic, melodic punk music. Each of the ten tracks are less than three minutes long. If you’re thinking to yourself, “This sounds a lot like the Ramones,” the band Margate is very aware with a lyrical reference to “I wanna be sedated” in their third track “Want It All.” That song does a good job of showcasing each of the musicians’ individual talents, each player taking turns showing off their skills. The overall sound doesn’t ever stray too far from the beach punk hallmarks: bright guitars, intense but harmonious vocals, and fast paced drumming that bounces. The tracks are sometimes intermissioned with snippets of talk of beer and bros, cementing the overall frat feel of the album.
A big miss by this album is the lack of any catchy choruses. Most songs don’t get a chance to develop, so creating something as recurring as a chorus would be difficult, but it certainly would have helped make some of these tracks more memorable. Some of these would be great on a soundtrack for a cheesy high school movie. The album is worth one background listen for a drive to the beach.
Verdict: Thumbs Down
Key tracks: “Crowd Goes Mild,” “Want It All”
RIYL: The Ramones, Blink-182
Decide for yourself, with “Want it All”: