Squid The Whale

Ignore the rather awful band name that Squid The Whale unfortunately decided to brand themselves as. Instead, simply think of them as one of the best upcoming bands in the scene. Though Gatsby's American Dream has reunited, their lack of updates has led for a need for more bands such as Squid The Whale, morphing that progressive pop-punk style that Gatsby's branded to their own wonderful sound. After losing former singer Robert Weber after the band's debut release A Worrisome Voyage Through Inclement Weather, the band recruited Bradley Walden (formerly of pop-rock band That Was Something), immediately pushing. Walden's vocals are reminiscent of Nic Newsham, and fit the music much better than Weber's Brendon Urie-like voice. Walden's vocal prowess is extremely noticeable on acoustic closer "Drown", which brings memories of Envy On The Coast. New War is a perfect introduction to Squid The Whale's new lineup, while creating extremely high expectations for a follow up. Based on the band's easy transition between vocalists, these expectations should be easily met. You can stream New War on Bandcamp here.