Band: Run Kid Run
Album: Patterns
Label:Tooth and Nail Reocrds
Release: November 11, 2011
Reviewer: BrodyB
- Farewell Old Self
- Last Hurrah
- Back to the Basics
- Daylight
- Someway Somehow
- Promise
- Sunburns
- Rely on Her
- White Noise
- War is Over
- My King
Ever since my cynical teen years I have had this preconceived notion that all pop punk music was “fake”. That the only purpose of making such bubbly, fun music was to attract girls and make tons of money on the radio. However as I have grown up and matured I have seen the error of my previous way of thinking. Partially due to me looking back at how dumb and mislead I was as a youth, but also largely due to a few phenomenal pop punk releases that have come out along the way. One of these aforementioned releases that began my change of heart was, This is Who We Are the freshman release from Run Kid Run. To this day, I see that record as a near perfect passionate outpouring of fun and feel good tunes. So needless to say, I was pretty excited when asked to review Run Kid Run’s newest effort, even if it is a little belated.
Patterns slowly begins with the minute and a half “Farewell Old Self”. This primarily vocal driven track segues very nicely into the first real, upbeat song on the album, “Last Hurrah”. This track is both lyrically and musically a great way to really start off the album. Lyrically the song talks about how you should live carefree, and make the most of every moment like you could die at any moment. Accompanied by upbeat , crisp instrumentals, you will soon be throwing all your cares out the window and enjoying the music like it could be your last. “Back to the Basics” was the single off Patterns and for good reason. This song would make a great addition to the radio waves with astoundingly catchy lyrics and soaring vocals courtesy of front man David Curtis. “Someway Somehow” was my first instant favorite track on Patterns. The instrumentals are initially what drew me into the song with a memorable groove to it. Once the song reaches the bridge, Aaron Gillespie lends his pipes exclaiming, “If there’s any spark in me/ It’s ’cause you lead me home/ If there’s any doubt it me/ it’s all my own”. “Sunburns” instantly became an instant classic in my Run Kid Run book of favorites after first listen. With a toe tapping rhythm, a great sing a long chorus, and even a tight guitar solo all really make this song a fun track to listen to. Matt Theissen lends his voice to this song as well. I feel that “War is Over” is a song typically outside of the realm of what Run Kid Run typically does musically making it really stand out. The instrumentals are top notch with plenty of tight bass and drum rhythms amidst some more complex than usual guitar parts. Perhaps it’s just the war imagery sung about, but House of Heroes always comes to mind while I listen to this track.
Run Kid Run set the bar extremely high with This is Who We Are. Perhaps a little too high as I feel that for as good as Patterns is, I don’t think it quite reaches the standards set by their freshman release. I really appreciate how the band has musically matured as showcased in songs like “My King”, “War is Over”, and “Sunburns”. I found myself wishing the band would have carried over more of the complex instrumentals found within those songs into the majority of the others. I felt this would have set them apart from many contemporaries who play nothing but power chords. I also typically am not a fan of ballads, but I found myself wishing there would have been at least one more slower song in the vein of “My King” somewhere else in the album. I really enjoy Curtis’ vocals and think another emotional, all out vocal song would have been a great edition to a well rounded album.
Overall: Run Kid Run are a band I somewhat owe my life to you could say. With music being such a large part of my life, this band helped to open my eyes to the world of pop punk, allowing my musical taste to expand. While I do not feel “Patterns” quite lives up to it’s predecessors, I believe it is still an incredible record in a genre I had once given up on.