Near the end of 2019 Rational Anthem put out It's Only Permanent, I didn't initially blog about it because it's a pop punk masterpiece and I didn't want to do it a disservice. That should be enough to get you to go check it out. If you require a bit more of a breakdown here you go.
I've been listening to Rational Anthem since I found them through Traffic Street in 2009...I want to say it was the Apocalypse Meow split (or was it through Troublemake? Doesn't really matter) and have thoroughly enjoyed them since day one, but there was something about It's Only Permanent that really hit me in the Blink 182 void. To me this feels like what should have been Blink's follow up to Dude Ranch, it's a sound adjacent to the best parts of Blink's TOYPAJ but without the contrivedness..contrivity? (I don't know, Blink 182 after Dude Ranch felt a little too contrived at times [though I celebrate their catalogue through Self Titled]) or immature lyrics. I think I got side tracked there.
Rational Anthem bring mid to up tempo 90s influenced pop punk (with some midwest infuluence) relationship lyrics abound, but lacking the incel qualities of a lot of late 90s and 2000s pop punk that followed Dude Ranch. The music and melodies on It's Only Permanent are so catchy they'll have you nodding your head and eventually dancing in no time, the lyrics on Permanent are dark and depressed for the most part but that doesn't stop the choruses from being ripe for the singing along to, whoa oh. Up until tonight I've only caught the lyrics from listening so I figured I'd take an ol' read and it makes sense that Noelle was more or less a North American Murderburger.
Without getting into unnecessary details, a friend of mine hipped my parents to a bag of import chips, Hen of the Woods, Everything Bagel kettle cooked potato chips to be exact, that they then gifted to me. When I messaged said friend, she texted back and basically said the chips were mediocre. Well Ms. Perspective, we'll see about that. Not much of a scent. The seasoning is a bit powdery, doesn't look like it but feels like the texture of sour cream and onion seasoning on my tongue. The chips have a mid weight crunch, you can tell they're kettle cooked, but you're not going to have to go see a dentist. Creamyness to the flavour with some black pepper..or maybe even mild hot pepper..in the mix. There's a bite there that I didn't expect. I think there's a bit of garlic in the mix (is that where some of the heat is coming from? [upon inspection of the ingredients, cayenne pepper is listed]). I'm not getting forehead sweats, but it's a welcomed mild heat. I was tasting something odd, but I could only identify it as something that would be found in the spice cupboard...thank you list of ingredients...there's a faint caraway (aniseed..black licorice) flavour, not in every chip but it pops up now and then. I'd place these in the sour cream and onion family, almost like a SC&O based all dressed. Unlike It's Only Permanent, I didn't have high expectations going into this bag...but they're quite enjoyable, familiar but distinctly their own.
Stay hydrated,
Marc
Comments
Post a Comment