There’s something about GRMLN’s surfy pop punk that hits a very nostalgic tone making one hark back to the days of gangling limbs, stupid haircuts and general angst.
GRMLN is fronted by Japanese/South Californian expat Yoodoo Park with his brother Tae San on bass and friend Keith Frerichs behind the kit.
This sort of music seems to breed on the surf coasts of California, with the majority of the band’s lyrics reliving those old themes of screwing up relationships and being a fuck up in the eyes of friends and family.
Musically, the majority of the songs are pretty run of the mill pop-punk; three to four guitar chord changes, bass riding the root and simple drum lines with a sprinkling of high-pitched synth. Moreover, GRMLN feels very much like it’s the front man’s band with the music serving as a backdrop to Park’s lyrics.
Even though the lyrical subjects aren’t exactly the most original, Park’s approach to song writing seems very honest and heartfelt. His confusion and need to protect himself from other’s emotional issues come through in songs like ‘Cheer Up’ and ‘Do You Know How It Feels’.
It would be easy to deride GRMLN’s music as the output of another lost almost-adult having a difficult time dealing with their middle-class problems. However, the songs are damn catchy and Park’s honest approach to his lyrics gives each song a level of authenticity missing in a lot of pop punk.
