ALBUM REVIEW: The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High (Pure Noise Records)
Over the last 30-odd years, New Jersey punks The Bouncing Souls have built quite a connection with their followers all over the world.
That’s nothing new; most bands worth their salt engage with fans, but The Bouncing Souls took it one step further for their first album in seven years.
They’re a band who make connections through touring as much as releasing records, but during the dark days of lockdown in 2020-21 they couldn’t do that.
Instead, they started a Patreon account, with a very special reward for top-tier subscribers – a personalised song telling their story.
“We’ve written so many songs from our own experiences but this time we really stepped outside of that,” said vocalist Greg Attonito.
Kicking off with the title track, Ten Stories High is an upbeat, optimistic album which sits perfectly alongside the Souls’ back catalogue.
Their melodic singalong punk rock sound has stood them in good stead all this time, so why change it now?
There’s big hooks and even bigger choruses all over this record, but what shines through most is the band’s indomitable spirit.
Back To Better is a call to arms powered by clattering drums, with Attonito singing: “Get back to better, find our center/Get back together, back to better.”
Kenver is about spending time in places you love, and is a real feelgood song harking back to days on the road, missing gigs, friends and familiar faces.
There’s a self-referencing nod to one of their finest moments in True Believer Radio, and Shannon’s Song is inspired by a fan who lived in Russia.
Andy and Jackie urges us to “stop for a second and talk about, that band we love” – who could they be thinking of? – while Vin and Casey is a fast-paced tribute to a lost friend.
Following your dreams is the topic of Magnus Air Organ, while the pandemic and how we coped with it – or not – is the subject of the Bad Religion-like To Be Human.
Things are brought to a close with Higher Ground, another upbeat fist pumper. The Bouncing Souls make it all sound so easy, which is why they’re still at the top of their game. My only quibble is that at just 10 tracks Ten Stories High feels too short. 8/10.
