Album Review: Seamless by Pardon Us (by Emma Prew)

Does it seem like it was less than year ago that I reviewed Liverpudlian pop punk trio Pardon Us’s debut album, Wait? Well, that’s because it was! Releasing their second album so soon, especially given the state of the world at the moment, was certainly unexpected but news of Seamless was just the pick-me-up I needed. I’ve been a bit quiet on the review front lately, not really feeling inspired to write about music, but when bassist Alex offered to send me an advance copy of the album I was keen to come out of my writing semi-retirement.

Seamless iss released on 21st August on Everything Sucks Music. Here’s what I thought of it…

The album opens with Undertow which you may have already heard as it was released alongside the initial announcement of Seamless. The lockdown video for the song is well worth checking out as well – I particularly enjoyed Gabby’s makeshift drum kit. As for the song itself, it’s a typically bouncy, melodic pop punk tune with slower paced verses and a super catchy chorus. Undertow is about trying to stay afloat in daily life and not getting bogged down with all the crap that life general throws at you. I think the line ‘It’s been a fucked up year, And it’s enough to drag you down, But you’re still here, It helps to know you’re sticking around’ could be applied to each and everyone of us in 2020 although I imagine that wasn’t quite the intention. Still Needs Singing is up next and wastes no time in getting started. On my first listen to Seamless, this was a real stand out track. Partly because it packs a real punch musically but also because I really believe in what Morgan is singing. The song is about consistently standing up for what you believe in and continuing to talk about issues because until these matters are resolved it still needs to be talked about – whether that be racism, homophobia, transphobia, human rights or any number of other important issues. ‘If you’ve heard it all before, It’s because we’ve sung it all before, And we still sing it, Because it still needs singing.’

Opening with a fast and fuzzy guitar riff which is soon joined by pounding drums and bass, the third track is the shortest on the album at only just over one minute in length. Understandably, Pardon Us try to pack a lot into What Doesn’t Kill Me and, in my opinion, they certainly succeed with that. It’s a frantic ball of energy of a tune with some wonderful backing harmonies that accompany Morgan’s breakneck speed lead vocals. Slowing things down a tad, To, Two, Too has a similar feel to it as Still Needs Singing as well as Inconvenient Reminder from Pardon Us’s debut album, Wait. To, Two, Too is about showing solidarity with someone who is struggling – ‘When the world doesn’t like you, You’re an anomaly in their eyes’ – and encouraging them to keep their head held high – ‘Don’t ever let them hold you down’. The song also features an almost bluesy guitar solo breakdown which isn’t exactly typical of a Pardon Us song but is a very nice touch. Once again the transition from one song to the next is very prompt but the contrast between the two songs is clear. Grace has a slower pace and somewhat of a more stripped back feel than much of Pardon Us’s catalogue. I may well be misinterpreting the song but with lines like ‘Your effortless grace, Your radiant smile, The way that you walk with, Inherent self-conviction’ makes this feel like a love song or at least an admiration piece about a particular person. Lyrics such as those paired with more of those lovely harmonies make Grace a pretty sweet song.

Safety Net is the name of the sixth song on Seamless and it opens with a distinct bass line before the guitars and drums also join the mix for a perfect pop punk melody – think classic Green Day, who are not a band that I’d generally immediately liken Pardon Us to but that is the vibe I’m getting here all the same (and it’s great, by the way). When the vocal come in, there’s a sense of bitterness as Alex sings of how the elite and middle class can often look down on those who are less well off in life but if roles were reversed – and they didn’t have a safety net to fall back on – I’m sure they’d be forced to reconsider those opinions. With the opening line of ‘No more negativity, it leaves a bitter taste, And make sure that a sickly smile stays plastered to your face’, Don’t Look Down feels like a suitable continuation of the topics covered on Safety Net. The song is about how we’re taught and expected to trust in our government and leaders as they ought to know what’s best but, of course, in reality that is far, far from the truth – ‘Don’t look down, There’s nothing wrong so don’t look down, We’re strong and stable, Safe and sound, Even as we plummet to the ground, So don’t look down’. Yes, Pardon Us play catchy pop punk music, but they’re not afraid to write intelligent political commentary and I love that.

Another example of catchy pop punk with a political message comes in the form of Laugh It Up. Here Pardon Us express their frustration over the Tories of this country who are more than happy to sit back and watch people queue up at Food Banks and not do anything to combat austerity. The chorus of ‘Laugh it up, While you still can’ over and over again is an incredibly simple one but it sure drives the message home about Tories being smug bastards. The sound clip of laughter at the end of the song is a not unwelcome additional touch. The ninth track on Seamless is In The Loop and it is another of a songs that immediately stood out to me on my first listen. With its distinct opening of simply drums and vocals before the pace picks up and the melodies come in full force, In The Loop is what I like to call a sure-fire head bop. It’s about how we – the human race (or at least that’s how I interpret it) – seem to continuously make the same mistakes over and over again and try to push the blame on someone or something else. Here & Now starts out with an almost country or folk punk style riff but soon develops into the classic Pardon Us sound with a slower paced verse and snappy chorus – one that would be very easy and enjoyable to sing along to in a live setting I might add (if you can remember what gigs were like). Here & Now is about trying to stop pondering on the past and focussing on the present. I wasn’t expecting the subtle inclusion of some keys towards the end of the song but it’s definitely a sound I can get on board with.

When I first heard the penultimate song on Seamless, Little Demons, I was convinced that I’d heard it before. It felt unlikely that it would have been when I last saw Pardon Us live as that was quite some time ago but it turns out that I was correct in thinking it sounded familiar as Little Demons is a cover of a Helen Chambers song. If you’re familiar with Helen Chambers, either as the vocalist for Misfortune Cookie or for her own solo material, then you’ll know she has an incredible smooth-as-silk voice. Understandably, Morgan’s gravelly tones singing Helen’s words is quite a contrast but, alongside the punk rock backing, this is a brilliant rendition. Although now I’m just thinking how great it would be to hear Helen and Morgan singing this as a sort of duet – maybe this something else we can hope for when gigs are a thing again. The album is closed with the aptly titled The Last Word. This is a slow and somewhat sombre sounding track that ends the album on a thoughtful and reflective note. ‘There comes a day, not every day, We get a sense something’s slipped away, And put aside our busy lives, to hear the song at last, We prick our ears and wait around, But the next note never sounds, And before we know, the final tone has faded to the past.’

Conclusion: It was well worth coming out of semi-retirement from writing to review Seamless as Pardon Us have delivered another top notch album. Seamless is packed with plenty of catchy melodies but, perhaps more importantly, it also contains intelligent and thoughtful lyrical content that is highly relatable and relevant to the world we live in today.

Stream and download Seamless on Bandcamp – check out that awesome vinyl pressing! And you can also like Pardon Us on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.