Neck Deep Releases "Self-Titled" Record. ALBUM REVIEW
Neck Deep has released their highly anticipated forthcoming self-titled album which dropped January 19th via Hopeless Records.
“We worked hard to get this album made, but we stayed true to ourselves and made the album that best represents us, from the ground up,” shares vocalist Ben Barlow on the new album. “We can’t wait for everyone to hear it and feel the same way we did, and to hear these songs sung back to us in a huge year of touring.”
Neck Deep has also hit the road in the United States this week to celebrate the release of their self-titled album. Joined by special guests Drain, Bearings and Higher Power, the tour will be making stops throughout the country, kicking off on January 25 in Nashville and visiting Orlando, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, Brooklyn, and more, before wrapping up in Chicago on February 25. Later in the year, Neck Deep will be appearing at When We Were Young in Las Vegas where they will be performing Life’s Not Out To Get You.
The band also recently announced a headlining show performance at the legendary Alexandra Palace – affectionately dubbed Ally Pally – in London on March 28 with special guests Knuckle Puck and Drain.
Neck Deep goes back to roots, or rather "Kicks Up The Roots" in their latest self-titled album. The album is a musical manifestation of old and new Neck Deep giving nostalgic "The Peace and the Panic" meets Life's Not Out to Get You" vibes. Where Neck Deep's previous record "All Distortions Are Intentional" was a slight departure from the band with the insanely awesome concept idea wrapped around the record, the pop-punk quartet really brings things back home with this new self-titled album.
Neck Deep has a knack for releasing records that drop straight bombs from the first track, and this self-titled record is no different. Track 1's "Dumbstruck Dumbfuck" hits hard with punchiness and permission with an instantly sing-a-long able chorus, that might get you in trouble if you sing it out loud in certain places. Tracks like "We Need More Bricks" and especially "Sort Yourself Out" let the drums stand out and shine which really highlights the arrival of Neck Deep's new drummer Matt Powles who replaced longtime ND drummer Dani Washington back in 2022 making his debut on a Neck Deep record.
I knew this record was going to be an all-out banger from the moment I heard their first single "Heartbreak of the Century" early on in 2023. This track really set the bar for the rest of the album and I feel as though it's going to be an instant live fan favorite. Another track like this is "...Take Me With You" which feels to me to be a song about wanting aliens to take you off of this planet? Or maybe a double-entendre for psychedelics. Either way, it's a bop that gets lodged in your head from Chorus 1.
Another thing Neck Deep is great for is putting some of their best songs in the deep-cut or back half of their album which tracks "They May Not Mean To (But They Do)" and the last track "Moody Weirdo". Both tracks are quirky with They May Not Mean To giving off some blink-182 meets New Found Glory circa 2011 vibes while Moody Weirdo giving off "Wishful Thinking - Neck Deep" circa 2014 if the record was more stripped down. "Go Outside!" And especially "It Won't Be Like This Forever" give off some of "All Distortions Are Intentional" vibes with the way the tracks are both sonically and melodically with the latter of the tracks giving off the mood of track When You Know meets Sick Joke from the ADAI record.
Neck Deep's self-titled record is my new favorite album of the year so far, and it's definitely going to be a hard record to beat by setting the bar for other bands out there for the rest of 2024. Neck Deep always seems to have a way of reinventing themselves while staying whole at, again, "the roots". If my words aren't enough then definitely listen to their latest record for yourself as well as check them out on the road this year, espially if you're a huge fan in the States!
You can check out the track listing for Neck Deep's self-titled album as well as Neck Deep's latest single DUMBSTRUCK DUMBFUCK, tour dates, and more below!
TRACK LISTING
1. Dumbstruck Dumbf**k
2. Sort Yourself Out
3. This Is All My Fault
4. We Need More Bricks
5. Heartbreak Of The Century
6. Go Outside!
7. Take Me With You
8. They May Not Mean To (But They Do)
9. It Won’t Be Like This Forever
10. Moody Weirdo
Neck Deep is available to buy and stream now at https://ffm.to/neckdeep
Upcoming Neck Deep 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* (SOLD OUT)
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, MI– Royal Oak Music Theatre*
February 14 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora*
February 16 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner*
February 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall* (SOLD OUT)
February 18 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel* (SOLD OUT)
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*
March 28 – London, UK – Alexandra Palace^
October 19 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young+
* with Drain, Bearings, and Higher Power
^ with Knuckle Puck and Drain
+ Festival appearance
For all upcoming tour dates and tickets, visit https://www.neckdeepuk.com/tour
You can check out more more info on NECK DEEP in the links below:
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