Hopeless Records – 7 Aug 2020
Diabetics beware: Bring extra insulin for this sugar-high
Australian party-punkers Stand Atlantic have returned with Pink Elephant, the follow-up to 2018's uber fun Skinny Dipping.
Led by Bonnie Fraser (vocals / guitar) and backed by David Potter (guitar), Miki Rich (bass) and Jonno Panichi (drums), the four-piece have garnered a fair amount of attention Down Under and in the US thanks to the their powerful harmonies, power-pop anthems and willingness to experiment.
Stand Atlantic would impress solely on the merits of Fraser's powerful voice but when the other members add their signature melodies and 8-bit flavored bleeps and blips, the band stands out in the pop-punk scene.
Pink Elephant kicks off with “Like That,” an anthemic sugar rush recalling the 2008 Warped Tour appearance of Katy Perry as Fraser shows off her pop sensibilities. This is the kind of song my daughters and I can all agree on. The fun bopping matches up to the happy-go-lucky six-year-old while the lyrics are relatable enough to my eleven-year-old as she begins to figure out how to navigate and put into words her pre-teen crushes, while I'm thrilled to have something original in the genre.
Don't get too attached to the radio-ready pop-punk here though… Stand Atlantic are already testing new waters by the second track “Shh!” The group subtly explores electronic influences, bordering on pop-metal with the frenetic energy backing Fraser's vocals. Stand Atlantic tries to further incorporate the 80's synth feel on “Blurry,” but the track falls flat and sounds out of place with the up beat saccharine sound that rules the majority of the album.
“Jurassic Park” was Pink Elephant's lead single prior to release. Its no surprise that the band put so much stock in the song as an album seller. This song is a perfect blend of all the best tropes of pop-punk, from the gritted-teeth lyrics to the crossfades added in post.
Pink Elephant isn't solely sugar highs and powerful melodies though. The reflective songs of Stand Atlantic may be their most resonating and powerful. The acoustic “Drink To Drown” is an R&B influenced ballad to being overwhelmed and undervalued. This is the kind of track that undoubtedly raise lighters and cellphones in pits once shows begin to exist again.
“Silk and Satin” is a slow built track full of dissonant beats and introspection. Fraser pours her heart out and finds confidence in forced self-reliance. Stand Atlantic close with the same diabetic sweetness as they opened on “Hate Me (Sometimes)” as Fraser snarls in the face of her doubters and those offering unsolicited advice.
Pink Elephant is a blast to hear, the kind of pop-punk that lends itself to countless earworms deserving of road-trip playlists. Its not perfect but its close enough to be fun and worth repeated listening.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed's musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he's self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
