Hey, remember the ’90s? Calgary based pop punk band the Ativans sure do on their new CD “Landlocked.” The 10 track CD shows the band’s affinity for addictively catchy pop punk along the lines of Green Day, Blink -182, Teenage Bottle Rocket and fellow Calgarians Chixdiggit.
Frontman/ songwriter Billy Dixon’s adenoidal vocals are as much a blend of Green Day as they are of classic punks the Buzzcocks and the Dickies.
There is an abundance of up beat , crunchy guitar which will get the listener hopping, dancing and perhaps playfully moshing from the urgent “Bucket List” right through the to last track “ From the Outside.”
There are many, many highlights which resonate with me, especially “ McFly,” which feature a guitar solo which could come right out of the ’70s and the supremely catchy “Nostalgia Blues,” which features those snarling guitars and addictive whoah oh h background vocals which add a touch of pop polish.
Those background vocals are also a highlight of “ Or Whatever.”
The CD is short and sweet at 26 minutes so, if you love pop punk, it will leave you wanting more.
Band: The Ativans
Genre: pop punk
