Punk/Review Everything but the Everything - A & B Sides Vol. Two (feat. Sophia Prise)
Bay Area music veteran Izzy The Gent has been producing alternative new wave post-punk out of East Oakland. His current project, Everything but the Everything, started as a one-man band before becoming a studio collaborative. Performing live was the next step. When performing live, Everything but the Everything longtime collaborators, vocalists Sophia Prise and Tobias Hawkins, front the band, while guitarist Ian Dowd (Fire In The Hamptons), drummer Chad Roxxit (The Hot Takes, Chad and Scott), and Izzy handle the rest.
The energetic double single "A & B Sides Vol. Two" by Everything but the Everything embodies alt-punk with a nostalgic yet energizingly contemporary edge. Rex Shelverton produced the two songs, "Hotshot" and "Salt," which perfectly capture the band's ability to write songs that are both musically and emotionally compelling.
The first track on the record, "Hotshot," instantly draws in listeners with its new wave-inspired sound. Sophia Prise's vocals provide a deep emotional depth that is both eerie and compelling, and the song has the ideal balance of dark ambiance and exuberant energy. The production provides an intensity layer that keeps the song firmly entrenched in the alt-punk genre, yet the melodic structure of the song clearly draws inspiration from new wave. The end product is a song that manages to evoke the spirit of earlier influences while yet forging its own distinct niche. It feels both familiar and inventive.
Conversely, "Salt" demonstrates the band's adaptability by fusing pop melodies with the gritty edge of punk rock. The song has a defiant yet approachable vibe because to its contagious combination of catchy hooks and gritty guitar work. The two songs' contrast draws attention to the band's versatility and capacity to tackle a variety of styles without sacrificing a unified sound.
"A & B Sides Vol. Two" is proof of the group's inventiveness and love of music for Everything but the Everything. Fans of alt-punk and beyond should not miss this record since the band constantly expresses authenticity and emotional depth, whether they are delivering a snappy punk song or a more reflective piece.