Country: Germany
The emotional resonance mixed with hopeful exuberance of pop-punk music connects with listeners all over the world. It shouldn’t be a shock that it influenced some young Germans to start a band. Two Stories Away have cited blink-182, Simple Plan and Paramore as influences, and the catchy hooks mixed with personal, relatable songwriting shines through in their tracks.
The acoustic chords and sonics on the mid-tempo number “End of the World” connects with the same heartfelt melancholy and melodies as Box Car Racer‘s “There Is.” The song slowly builds, with singer Ella Lappalainen being joined by the band in harmonies on the chorus halfway through, leading a pure, cathartic release. The track concludes with the romantic sign-off “at the end of the world I choose you.”
“Breaking the Rules With a Smile On” is infused with the upbeat spirit of the genre, hitting the audience with anthemic riffs and rhythms. The pre-chorus breakdown hits hard, and the bridge is pure hardcore ball busting. And single “Wildfires” is a rip-roaring track made for bouncing around during live shows.
While they only have one EP out, I’m sure as scene fans start hearing the music, it will spread far outside of Germany (much like the best pop-punk does). Listen to two of the tracks in our World Watch Playlist.
The Indy Review 