Wakefield: The same old thing never sounded so good

Wakefield is not the savior of rock and roll. Their music is simple, high energy pop-punk that you won’t be able to extract from your brain. But then again, why would you want to?

These Maryland-bred boys are JD Tennyson on guitar, Aaron Escolopio on drums, Ryan Escolopio on lead vocals on guitar, and Mike Schoolden on bass. R. Escolopio has the perfect voice, which is rough with a whine at the back of his throat, for their brand of music. While they are far from a direct rip-off of any band, it is obvious that they were heavily influenced by Green Day and Good Charlotte, with a bit of hair metal thrown in for good measure.

“Say You Will” has a great beat that changes from slow and steady on the chorus to much faster during the verses. There is also a 1980s metal guitar solo that is remarkable. The singing fits the music perfectly and the lyrics are simple and relatively ambiguous.

R. Escolopio gets to actually sing much more on “Decisions [Teenage Disaster],” which has definite radio play potential. It is more or less another “downfall of our youth” song, but for some reason it is much more enjoyable than your run-of-the-mill song that whines about nothing. While the lyrics aren’t exactly mind blowing, the attitude and feeling behind the song is definitely present. It is also interesting how they go from R. Escolopio attempting a hardcore scream to a semi-melodic break in the music where his singing echoes. This song gets an ‘A’ for effort and unpolished ability.

“Girls Rock Boys” is a bouncy little romp through a teenage relationship gone sour. Again, simplicity seems to be the key to their music. Not getting wound up in their lyrics lets them focus more on the way they sound, which is very important in this day and age.

If the current kings of pop-punk ever pass down their crown and sceptor, Wakefield would be a prime candidate. Their light and breezy attitude comes across in the music. And while lyrically they might be lacking, they definitely make up for it with energy and entertainment value.

Rating: 3 Stars