Today we are going to dive into a review that is slightly different for “What’s So Special About Anyways?”, but who doesn’t love a good shake-up every once in a while? Let’s dive into it:

The Tunes:

Leading up to the releases in discussion in this review, stop.drop.rewind has released a few EPs with their last cumulative release being in 2018.  Following this record, the band plotted to provide music to the music scene in an innovative way. Their goal was to provide the musical world with top-the-line singles, that would eventually morph to create the next sensational EP, but national pandemics happen, and that process fell victim to that event. So, what’s the deal with today’s review? Today, I am going to speak on behalf of the singles that have been released or crafted in 2019/2020 that would eventually find home in this cumulative release- those being: “Floating Stone”, “Open Water”, “Words in Scary Stories”, and “Love, No Medicine”. Introductions aside, let’s get into the music.

As one listens to their work, there is a clear duel influence that is heard throughout: punk and alternative-rock. This blend makes for music that can be drastically different from the previous single- while also feeling so inter-connected. Let’s take this a step further. The instrumentals that are found on each track strike with an edgy articulation when the instrumentals are moving in a homophonic/unison matter. These moments occur when the band is building into a new section, or when an instrumental breakdown occurs. These musical sections resonate heavily with both genres, which helps to tie the two influences together and bring the feeling of cohesion. On the alternative-rock side of things, the band often includes a range to their music that wavers towards the lower part of the spectrum- this is also heard through the vocal tone color that is heard throughout each track. This includes close sounding chords that fluctuate to provide major moments of contrast. This connects well to the alternative-rock genre, for the overall soundscape connects to that of the classic rock while having this innovative gloss to it that finishes it off with the instrumental timbre that is found with most alternative artists. On the other side of the scale, the band includes moments that resonate in the punk genre by utilizing extreme moments of contrast with juxtaposition between the vocal and the instrumental lines. Meaning, there are moments where the band includes instrumentals packed wall-to-wall, times where the instrumentals and vocals occur with the same intensity, and the band includes moments, where the instrumentals act to just support the vocal line. The relationships between the two change throughout each track, spanning the spectrum of the punk genre, which makes their discography quite diverse and interesting.

Putting these techniques together in succession to create an EP is actually quite intriguing. As I spoke to these techniques, I didn’t specify which track resonated in which light, for each track has a little influence of both; however, one style does prevail in most cases. This makes for an aural sensation that will keep listeners engaged and wanting more. This is because the band writes their music in such a way that leaves room for creativity and fluctuation in the writing process. What this means for us, the listeners, is that we should expect the unexpected. The band doesn’t follow a specific template in terms of instrumentals nor lyrics. One minute we may be hearing an over-the-top instrumental breakdown, the next we may hear a canonic lyrical moment, and lastly, if we listen close enough, we may just hear some instrumental resolutions that we didn’t think we needed. In general, I would give the components of this EP a 4 out of 5 stars. I do believe this score will bump up in its finished state, but I will wait to hear the whole- finished- product to make that call. Until then, please check out stop.drop.rewind’s work- it is very good, and I anticipate big things for this band!

Track Spotlight:

The selection that stood out the most, to me, was “Love, No Medicine”. This track took every innovative and sleek aspect of stop.drop.rewind, and blasted it to create a bop that is simply next level. Everyone should dive into their available works and start to build the hype for their next release!

*These singles were released/crafted in 2019/2020 through stop.drop.rewind, and most of them can be found on Spotify and iTunes.