ATP! Album Review: Mixtapes - Ordinary Silence

With Ordinary Silence, the Ohio-based Mixtapes have taken aim at an open, honest but still fun approach to their flavor of indie-punk. This record swings back and forth between the phases of American pop-punk with hints of homage, sounding like Paramore one minute and Anti-Flag the next. Even opening track ‘Bad Parts’ goes through a journey of fast-paced joy to a bruised bridge and back again. The contrast between the vocalists throughout this record does a good job of adding an extra layer of depth to an otherwise simpler formula as well.

That’s not to say that simple isn’t good. ‘Ross’ is as formulaic punk as they come with strong flavours of Alkaline Trio and The Dwarves, but it’s a powerful song, with speed, melody and lyrics that pack more of a punch than many pop-punk acts are capable of.

Ordinary Silence is certainly an honest album, to the point of tapping into some of that DIY emo sound that worked so well on Weezer’s Blue album. None of this is at a detriment to the fun laced through this album however, and Ordinary Silence is fundamentally a fun ride. The influence of California pop-punk on this is obvious, but it doesn’t take anything away from the experience. The sound is as much evolution as derivation, though the shoe undeniably fits, and in the climactic end to ‘Happy and Poor’, this evolution really shines.

All in all, this is a great effort that though it feels derivative at times has some really great moments filled with excitement, energy and potential.

4/5

Edward Strickson

Ordinary Silence is out now via No Sleep Records.