Contrary to popular belief, angst and consternation are not a new phenomenon. We may be living in unprecedented times, but collective distress among the masses has always been there. It’s an unshakable me against the world mentality that can either depress you or embolden you. Philadelphia pop-punk band My Cousin’s Girlfriend’s House sides with the latter on their latest single, “Wasting Away.” Vexed to the core with a hyper pop-punk intensity, this track is too busy fighting off barbs from all angles to feel content with the status quo.
From the get go, you are awakened by an unrelenting, old school pop-punk ferocity. At first, there’s a brief, but rapid acoustic intro that is quickly obliterated by ensuing rounds of frenzied drums and swift guitar. All of which harken back to the breakneck style of early 2000s pop punk stalwarts such as New Found Glory. At less than a moment’s notice, you are put into a blender of spinning, turbo melodies that wind up your inner, feral self.
“My neighbors hate me, my girlfriend hates me, my dog hates me,” sums up this brand of sidelined angst that puts one in a corner. With the list of adversaries stacked to the sky, it can be a hopeless place to be. Instead of wallowing, lead singer Pete Long chooses to keep his head up, proclaiming “but I love myself!”
Throughout this track, there are lyrical nuggets born out of disgust for the way things are. From the mundane routine of “tick tock time clock, superficial small talk” to the impending calamity of “mother nature’s on the way, save it for a rainy day,” it’s an endless loop that leads from mind numbing day to day and finishes with existential dread. In the end, it’s declared that “your system is what got us here.” Systems are supposed to be orderly, but being an establishment, it inherently does not work for everyone. All that’s “clear” is that “we’re all wasting away.”
“Watch the world choose to ignore us” is one of the parting lines of this track. However, after one listen to this raucous pop-punk track, it will be hard to deny the confrontational presence of My Cousin’s Girlfriend’s House. Choose to stick your head in the sand at your own risk.
Written by Travis Boyer
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