Maycomb - I Opened My Heart To Caustic Things

Wolverhampton, England's own Maycomb have landed on the scene with their debut release, I Opened My Heart To Caustic Things. The British pop-punkers have an energetic and enthusiastic pop-punk sound that will definitely open up your mind as to what's on the other side of the pond and what they have to bring to the table as well.

We start things off with "Old Gold", a refreshing melodic opus that introduces us to a band that knows from the start what they want to sound like and what impact they want to have on their prospective listening audience currently listening. "Dynamiter" is another charged up rocker that features sharp and precise guitar riffs coupled with introspective lyrics that express the band's immensely creative dynamic that is on full display here. "Sinking Song" brings down the melodic intensity a bit and relies upon the vocals and instrumentation at hand to create a track that is diverse and not like the previous ones that we encountered at the beginning of the album.

The second half of the disc takes shape with "When The Time Comes" a solid mid-tempo rocker that puts a heavy emphasis on the vocals that have been a main focus of the album up until this point, most largely due to the instrumentation around that makes everyone's job in the band that much enjoyable. "Jetsam" is a quick, focused rocker clocking in at just under 2 and a half minutes that demonstrates the band's dynamic and their ability to craft sonic pleasures in such a quick span of time. We get ready to close out the disc with my personal favorite off the album "Also Ran", a perfect combination of vivacious pop-punk rhythms, terrific vocalization, and deep instrumentation from everyone involved makes this track a real treat and a standout from the band's catalog. "Whatever Happens, Happens" is another standout track that exemplifies the group's talents in one fell swoop and is a great way to close out a well rounded and executed album as a whole. It's great to see bands from across the pond in England adopting many of the same musical tactics that alot of upstart American bands are currently implementing today, and it makes for an all around pleasant and enjoyable listening experience from Maycomb in particular that shows us that the British pop-punk scene is not that much different from the American scene at all.

In conclusion, a well rehearsed and constructed effort from Maycomb, who are starting to turn heads over here in the States with an impressive collection of works that clearly demonstrates the band's talents and what they have accomplished up until this point.

                                                                                                                       Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. New Storms
2. Old Gold
3. Dynamiter
4. I Am Constantly A Variable
5. Sinking Song
6. Out Of Darkness Cometh Light
7. When The Time Comes
8. Jetsam
9. Start Missing Everybody
10. Also Ran
11. Whatever Happens, Happens