The Weaks

Item: The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die [EP]
Rating: 7
Author: Ricky Frankel

The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die [EP] (2014)

Ricky Frankel

Recently the Philadelphia punk scene has been on fire, producing terrific up-and-coming new bands. The Weaks are definitely one of them. Their new six-song release, which is called The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die, is a rockin' pop punk EP.

Of the six songs, the best is the second track, which has a very creative and interesting title. It's called "Nietzsche's Harvest Song." Like the title of this EP, it's a fairly self-deprecating song. It starts with this line right off the bat: "Lately/I've been having a lot of bad ideas." The chorus in this song has a great melody and it is accompanied by really gentle-sounding guitar licks that are (most likely) emphasized by a tremolo pedal. Then the lead vocal verses get really angry. This song sounds almost as if it's bipolar. This isn't a typical power chord-only pop punk song. The band clearly took a lot of time and care in the guitar soloing throughout the whole thing.

Another really good song on this EP is called "Dunce Pageant." It's definitely a happier sounding song musically, but lyrically it is just as self-loathing as the other songs on this EP, if not more so: "I've got no confidence/I'm just a lonely swan in an endless lake/ Where I'm thrown bread for food/By a party of two." Like "Nietzsche," this song is filled with complicated guitar improvisation that compliments the whole song. An especially great touch in this song is the interlude where both guitars harmonize with each other.

This is a really easy EP to listen to all the way through. It's unique and original. Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo have done a very good job here. If you are into The Ergs or Masked Intruder you'll probably be into this EP Definitely check it out. It'll be worth keeping an eye out for future releases from this band.

Note to my fellow vinyl nerds: This EP has been pressed on black 12-inch vinyl with a screen-printed B-side. 300 copies have been pressed.