Album Review: Captain, We're Sinking - 'The Future Is Cancelled'

'Adultery' is a frantic way to open 'The Future Is Cancelled,' the new full length from Pennsylvania's Captain, We're Sinking. "My best friend is my dog," quivers vocalist Bob Barnett as the urgent, fuzzed out guitar lines slowly build and crash into the rhythm section for the chorus.

Everything in a Captain, We're Sinking track will eventually work its way into an explosion of melody wrapped in a light hearted moment of joyful punk rock. These guys sound like Tigers Jaw put through a few more distortion pedals landing just shy of Basement's volume level. One of the album's stand out tracks, 'Brother', slows the pace down slightly while managing to make every single section a catchy, meaning filled, hook.

The title track (part one) takes a turn into a darker feel and more straight forward brand of punk, quick paced beats, vocals, which teeter on the edge of a scream and guitar tones that sound a little sinister. These feature prominently throughout the record, and this may just be because the band are from Pennsylvania, but there are Dracula sounds in the guitars. Yes, Dracula sounds. Coined it.

Things brighten up again for 'Montreal', a song that takes its cues from 90's radio rock songs under a punk rock moniker, never dropping its fun, bouncy pace. It's not all chaos as the band take a moment to reflect and chill with the gentle ballad 'More Tequila, Less Joe', which shows another dynamic to the group without seeming out of place or disrupting the record's vibe.

'Lake' is another highlight, switching between break-out moments of screams with thudding drums and soft verses before the low and heavy 'A Bitter Divorce' and album closer 'Shoddy Workmanship', a gentle building song in which the vocal and guitar melodies play off of each other brilliantly. This is a solid punk rock record with an even amount of throwbacks and modern elements working seamlessly with each other. 

Above all, Captain, We're Sinking write fun, catchy songs and somehow manage to keep things interesting for the entirety of 'The Future Is Cancelled' with little deviation from their formula.

1. Adultery

2. Brother

3. Annina, We Will Miss You

4. The Future Is Cancelled Pt. 1

5. Montreal

6. More Tequila, Less Joe

7. Beer Can

8. You Have Flaws

9. Lake

10. Here's To Forever

11. A Bitter Divorce

12. Shoddy Workmanship