Simple Creatures, consisting of Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low and Mark Hoppus of blink-182, released their debut EP entitled Strange Love on March 29, 2019. The six-song EP demonstrates what the duo lovingly describes as “trash-pop,” and the description really works for them.
I’ve been a fan of and following All Time Low since 2007. Put Up or Shut Up and So Wrong, It’s Right are the foundations of my taste in music, and, for that reason, I’ve always held Alex Gaskarth and his songwriting abilities in very high esteem.
On the other hand, I have very limited knowledge of Mark Hoppus. There’s a reason for that. I know I’m committing pop-punk heresy by saying so, but I don’t like blink-182. I have nothing against the group or the music. I’ve just never vibed with it.
That’s why I’m surprised with how much I enjoy the Simple Creatures EP.
The Strange Love EP is nothing like ATL or blink, and that’s to the duo’s benefit. Hoppus and Gaskarth have proven to be fixtures of the pop-punk genre, so to regurgitate their past works and try to pass it off as something new would come off as entirely disingenuous.
They needed to reinvent themselves into something altogether different. *cue trash-pop*
The lead single and opening track of the EP “Drug” sets the tone for the record. It’s catchy and kind of heavy and it has these gritty guitars that belong nowhere near an All Time Low or blink-182 album.
Most importantly, it shows off the duo’s production capabilities, which is essential to a band made of only two people (see: Twenty One Pilots). The fading outro of the song is perfection, and the entirety of the track demonstrates that these music veterans still have new things to show us.
I think that it was a really smart decision to kick things off with “Drug,” in terms of the EP and in terms of Simple Creatures’ career, because it’s not too much of a stretch from what the duo have already done. It makes sense that the duo could make the natural progression from pop-punk to a more alternative style of rock music, and this evolution wouldn’t shock or anger fans.
“Strange Love,” the title track of the EP, steers the EP in an entirely different direction. This is the “trash-pop” the duo were talking about. I could honestly imagine this song playing on mainstream radio stations this summer, and that concept blows my mind.
But if it were on mainstream radio, it would be that one good song you’re actually happy to hear when you’re flipping through the stations. While the verses are still reminiscent of the last track, the chorus is almost subdued in a sense. It is kinda of soft and has a pop vibe and is subtle until the last iteration. When that last chorus rolls around, Simple Creatures is ready to party.
Of the six songs, “How to Live” and “Ether” are by far my least favorite. They both have so much potential, but they’re just missing something for me.
Of those two, I prefer “How to Live,” although I don’t see much of a difference between them. They both have the same austere vibe, but I think the instrumentals in “How to Live” are more interesting. The outro reminds me of the outro from “Drug” as well.
“Ether” definitely lives up to its title as it has ethereal aspects, but I feel like I needed a key change or a tempo shift or something to kick it up a notch. It just remains so monotone the entire time. Sometimes that can work for a ballad or a somber song, but in this case the song was just lacking something. I like the lyrics of the song, but it falls short in the musical aspect.
“Adrenaline” is my favorite track off the EP, probably because it reminds me the most of an All Time Low song (think of “Guts” or “Nice2KnoU”). It’s the definition of a bop. It’s catchy and upbeat, and it has that classic Alex Gaskarth angst that I know and love. The guitar riffs in the second half of the verses are beyond perfect. More than any of the other tracks, this one has made many of my recent playlists.
Maybe another reason I like this song in particular more than the others is that I don’t hear Mark Hoppus at all. If he’s on the track, he’s hiding well.
The closing track of the EP, “Lucy,” is a huge standout for me. Lyrically, it’s so interesting. What other song is about a bank heist gone wrong? And that spoken pre-chorus gets me every single time I listen to the song. I can’t help but join in with, “Leave the handgun, take the cash!” “Lucy” also has the best bridge on the record, hands down. It’s just a fun song and I’m super happy with it.
My main criticism of the EP is that, overall, the songs do seem relatively underwritten. The choruses are fairly short and repetitive, but if we’re being honest, that’s pop music in general. “Adrenaline” doesn’t even have a lyrical bridge, which kind of kills me because I feel like the bridge is the best part of a song.
But it’s trash-pop, you know? It makes sense that it would remind me of pop music in some aspects, even if some of those aspects are underwhelming lyrical content.
Ultimately, I’m incredibly pleased with this EP, regardless of its shortcomings. Strange Love marks a great start to Simple Creatures, and I’m excited to see what they come up with next.
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