January 19, 2024 — Today, Neck Deep delivers yet another collection of pop-punk perfection in the form of their fifth studio album. When a self-titled record appears well into a band’s career, it typically signifies a new era. In the case of Neck Deep, the U.K. pop-punk band have returned to their roots. Vocalist Ben Barlow shares his sentiments on the creative process:
“We’re so stoked to announce our new self made, self titled record. With a return to roots approach, we made this record ourselves at our warehouse in North Wales, with Seb at the helm, and the rest of us over his shoulder, like it was at the start.”
Just a few tracks in, it becomes evident that the guys took more creative freedom on this collection and steered themselves away from the more alternative/indie-leaning sound of The Peace and the Panic and All Distortions Are Intentional. Without compromise based on outside input, the result is top-tier pop-punk that gives off vibes reminiscent of early Blink-182. There is even a track that jokes (in a very relatable fashion) about alien invasion being a welcomed escape from the current state of planet Earth entitled “Take Me With You When You Go,” which brought back fond memories of hearing “Aliens Exist” for the first time. However, that is not meant to accuse the group of being too derivative, as they certainly managed to maintain the classic sound fans have come to expect from Sam Bowden (Guitar), Seb Barlow (Bass), Matt Powles (Drums), Matt West (Guitar), and Ben Barlow (Vocals) since their debut release.
“Go Outside!” is another stand-out track that I feel far too many people need to hear right about now, especially on the heels of a pandemic that seems like it lasted forever and wreaked havoc on mental health stability around the globe. The song finds Barlow lamenting and begging a loved one to “Take me back to when I felt like me.”
In my opinion, “Moody Weirdo” simultaneously serves as both the strongest track on the LP and the perfect conclusion to Neck Deep boasting a metaphor of weathering the hard times in life much like a storm. The song encapsulates the lyrical themes the group has aimed to highlight over their tenure and leaves listeners eager to hear what Barlow and company have to say next.
Overall, the album does an excellent job of showcasing what Neck Deep does best, which is provide accessible tunes with lyrics that hit home and address the challenges of simply existing in the modern political and social climate.
Fans can order the album, as well as band merchandise by following this link.
With support from Drain, Bearings, and Higher Power, Neck Deep will be hitting the U.S. to perform new tracks from the album along with fan favorites from previous efforts. Their trek begins on January 25th in Nashville, TN, and concludes a month late in Chicago, IL. A full list of dates can be found below, and tickets are available for purchase HERE.
Upcoming Neck Deep U.S. Tour Dates:
January 25 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
January 26 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern
January 27 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live Orlando
January 29 – Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum
January 31 – Phoenix, AZ – Marquee Theatre
February 1 – Pomona, CA – Fox Theater
February 2 – Pomona, CA – Fox Theater
February 3 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
February 5 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
February 6 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
February 8 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom
February 9 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman
February 10 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre
February 13 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
February 14 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora
February 16 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
February 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
February 18 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
February 20 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live
February 21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
February 23 – Cincinnati, OH – Megacorp Pavilion
February 24 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
February 25 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
October 19 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young*
* Festival Appearance
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