Southern California’s Crooked Teeth release new EP, Honey.

The trio have been very busy this year. Having signed to Rude Records, they went on to re-release their Pastel EP earlier in May, which only skimmed the surface of what they had brewing behind the scenes. Their approach with the follow up, five-track EP Honey, does embody a lot more confidence than before.

Before even starting to listen to Honey, it can be understandable to make comparisons. They’re an American rock, boy-band trio with colourful pop-punk in tow; there’s no extra points for identifying the familiarity here. This does not mean in any way that Crooked Teeth are band in any sense of the word. In a modern world of over-saturated pop-punk, it becomes increasingly difficult for anyone to make an impact on the genre; Crooked Teeth gave it a good go with Honey.

Hate Me kicks it all off, with some energetic and colourful riffs that do stick in your head. The alternating composition makes the track exciting, balancing a pop-rock mix that has proved to be very popular in recent years with the rise of Waterparks, With Confidence and WSTR. The track gives off a very family-friendly vibe that will surely bring in a wide audience.

The sweetness continues with title track Honey, an emotion-led rollercoaster that toys with the idea of letting the past stay in the past. Complete with plenty of the classic ‘na na na’s’, Honey embodies everything about Crooked Teeth into one package. The rough guitars, vibrating bass lines and echoing vocals combine to make a very appealing song.

It may not be the most unique thing you’ve ever heard, but that doesn’t mean it should be discounted in any way. Crooked Teeth have clearly got a knack for creating some very catchy and enticing music and if they continue down this way, they should be able to properly show off what they’ve got up their sleeves.