Save Face, Graduating Life Collab Procures New Punk EP
Photo Courtesy of Save Face, Graduating Life
Save Face and Graduating Life’s cross-country collaboration has procured the newest punk rock in the form of a four-song split EP, released September 12th through Pure Noise Records. Hard on the heels of their respective 2018 full-length albums, Fresno’s Graduating Life and New Jersey’s Save Face both deliver two new songs, one original and one cover each. Save Face’s contributions come in the form of original “Bummer” and a My Chemical Romance cover “Teenagers,” while Graduating Life supplies “Wonderful” and a cover of Kid Dynamite’s “Heart A Tact.”
Altogether, the singles coalesce to form a cohesive, strong EP, composed of thickly-layered introspective lyrics, blistering guitar solos, and bullet-fast drums. Save Face’s “Bummer” presents a triumphant marriage of classic rock sensibilities with the group’s trademark emo-punk fervor. On top of incorporating intriguing song structures that diverge from their previous material, the song inundates in crunchy rippage and is punctuated by wiry confessional lyricism. Their hollowed version of “Teenagers” serves as a nod to the notorious emo-pop-punk anthem, stripped-down but still viscerally charged, with verses gathering lightly before crashing into a resounding and familiar chorus.
Graduating Life’s strange combination of pop-punk hooks and metalcore breakdowns compliments these, indicating this release to be an intentionally cohesive collaborative effort. Fueled by hefty power chord riffs and poppy melodies scream-sung with a gruff voice, “Wonderful” makes petulant and brooding vocals bright, passionate, and fast-paced. In a similar vein, “Heart A Tact” sees heroic guitar solos and noisy bridges mix with wistful rhythms and syncopated guitars, resulting in a hot-blooded, head-banging conclusion full of just enough reverberant melodicism to get stuck in your head.
Once the dust settles, the joint record reveals the painstaking efforts of its production, as Save Face vocalist and guitarist Tyler Povanda confirms, “I think the biggest challenge is writing something that has merit in an artistic context while still being palatable and digestible for an average listener. I want someone to put these songs on while they’re having a great day the same way they can listen to it while going through a crisis.”
The consciousness of their listeners certainly has an impact on the EP’s success, though this is to be expected from groups with such extensive experience working with other bands. In 2017, Graduating Life recorded a split 7” with Mom Jeans., as well as their full-length An Introduction to Rock and Roll, featuring the song, “Check Out That Band Save Face.” On this, Graduating Life’s lead vocalist Bart Thompson shares, “Tyler [of Save Face] and I have known each other for years and I'm just excited that we finally get to do something together!"
On top of the split album, Save Face’s Tyler Povanda and Graduating Life’s Bart Thompson have also started to work on a podcast while touring together. In episodes of “Bart and Tyler Save Rock'n'Roll,” they promote new material, answer questions from fans, and talk about their travels across the continental U.S. Though this is hardly their first brush with tours— whether it be the hundreds of shows Save Face has played alongside Mannequin Pussy, Boston Manor, and labelmates The Menzingers, or Graduating Life with Shortly, Horse Movies, and Oso Oso— this is the first time the two have committed to sharing their experiences along the road so freely and directly.
Also to help promote the EP, Save Face has just released a lively new music video for “Bummer,” which shows Povanda singing in a grungy set alongside guitarist Phil McGarry, bassist Chris Aveta, and drummer Chris Flannery, with a number of star performances by members of the band Just Friends, Mom Jeans., and more.
With appearances on Spotify’s Covered in Punk and Punk Unleashed playlists, alongside Neck Deep, Goldfinger, IDLES, Mal Blum, and Ty Segall, Safe Face is anything but just “rock music,” despite what the simple description and bio listed on their streaming platforms might suggest. Likewise, Graduating Life’s notoriety is not to be overlooked, garnering attention on similar lists such as Spotify’s New Punk Tracks and Punk Unleashed playlists with the likes of Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Pixies, and A Day to Remember.
To experience the hype yourself, check out Save Face's "Bummer" as well as Graduating Life's "Wonderful."
