A new EP release from Pink Maskerade brings out a classic alternative rock sound that beckons late 90s underground bands that change the game, and it comes along with a massive amount of character and a perfect blend of edginess and color.
The Sad Girl EP is brimming with catchy hooks that you could both headbang to and sing along with at any given moment and it's all delivered with a certain level of heart and honesty which gives the whole thing of persona that you quickly get attached to.
Growing up in a certain time. and getting into different bands throughout the mid-90s and early 2000s was a huge musical pivot for me pen this band captures so much of that with a natural charm that it's unreal.
Bands like Tsunami Bomb for example who were game changers, were a part of this changing soundscape of the time and Pink Maskerade draws influence from that genre.
This record has layers that could be peeled back and honestly comes from a group of people that have a pure love for their craft and I know just mean their instruments, I mean the craft of songwriting.
These tracks have specific meaning and it's almost like the record is a concept of sorts because the songs feel like they intertwined with each other and serve as almost chapters of a book.
I love records like this because you can really dive into them and swim through it.
This particular nostalgia that I feel listening to the EP makes everything so familiar and welcoming to me and they nail everything right down to the guitar tone.
One of the other things I was enjoying is the sheer fact of the almost live energy that they portray because it feels like the players are feeding off of each other the whole time and this really makes you want to see the band live.
The deeper you go into this record the more surprised you get because like I said, there are surprises around the corners of this record but there is also a confluent and stable sound that they give off and even though the songs aren't cookie cutter whatsoever, they come through so heavy hitting and catchy that you feel like you've heard them before.
Again, these songs do tell stories and they do absolutely come from a personal perspective, so this makes everything feel very authentic and genuine to the point where after it's over you feel like you sat and talked with a friend for a while.
You feel like you know the band better.
You rarely come across such a bright and vibrant pop and alternative rock record that packs this much punch but also delivers that much character.
The drumming is outstanding and serves well as a heavy drive to these tracks and they have this sound that is hinting towards a certain looseness which again, takes me back to the whole live performance feel, but everything's super tight as well.
You definitely get punk rock aspects given off and at the end of the record you get a live track that literally sounds just as good as the rest of them.
There's a lot to love about this release and Pink Maskerade is the type of band that gives me the warm fuzzies inside so I'm going to be paying a lot of attention to what else there putting out there next and I suggest you do the same.
I genuinely love this band and if you really like solid, heartfelt, genuine, female-fronted, melodic alternative rock, then this EP is 100% for you.
Every aspect of this band complements each other so well that it feels like they've been doing it forever naturally.
I'm giving this a 9 out of 10 straight up.
Check this out when you can but try and listen to the whole EP as opposed to just wanted to songs because that's the way it's meant to be listened to.