OurStage

Never Shout Never may very well be the next Ashley Parker Angel. His name is Christofer Drew (aka Never Shout Never) and his music gives acoustic-pop a blast of emo-punk with his 4-track release The Yippee EP. The catchy rhythmic grooves and melodic hooks in his tunes have the appeal of the gripping emo-stanzas of Bryce Avary (aka The Rocket Summer) and the cheery vocal phrasings of Luis Dubuc (aka The Secret Handshake). The melodies are well-lit and move to the beating metronome of a man driven by feelings of love while letting those emotions take over his control. The album isn’t bubblegum pop but that audience would find Christofer Drew’s melodic esthetics attractive, as well as those embracing the early stages of punk. The track “Big City Dreams” is steered by positive emo strokes and a catchy groove that drenches audiences in a natural high. The EP should come with a warning label that the music will gobble up audiences in its optimistic synergy. It is like a pure shot of sugar cane running through your veins. The cheery phrasings of “Smelyalata” and “dare4distance” are infectiously bubbly, and the conjunction of acoustic and rock elements along “heregoesnothin” create movements that cast and reel in along the melodic transitions while affixed to a sunny pop vibe. Teardrops are turned into lush flowery clovers that rain down on the melodies like a shower of velvety petals. I remember my girlfriend telling me how much she enjoyed Ashley Parker Angel performing live with just his acoustic guitar in his lap and singing a set of tuneful melodies. When I heard The Yippee EP for the first time, I could just imagine Christofer Drew doing the same. His music is tuneful with acoustic-pop shimmers and emo-punk throbbing that grazes the melodies with a sunny-pop array of hues. It is music for the emo-punk fan and acoustic-pop enthusiast, or simply for anyone who likes melodic droplets in their music.