New Bruises
Transmit! Transmit! (2006)
Brian Shultz
Welcome Tampa, FL's New Bruises as the newest member to the extensive family of Hot Water Music followers (see: Latterman, Lock and Key, etc.). However, the influence is light here, as New Bruises certainly play a brand of emotion-tinged, mid-to-fast-paced punk rock, but provide the same type of upbeat positivity as Latterman musically, with lyrical themes tending to center around social commentary and personal growth.
What New Bruises does isn't the most original thing ever, but it's well done for what it is. There are plenty of well implemented choruses and inspired backup shouts. If not for slightly more professional sounding production, Transmit! Transmit! is an album you wouldn't be surprised to hear released on No Idea Records in any of the last few years, sitting aside well with releases from the likes of North Lincoln and Small Brown Bike. On a sidenote, some of the chorus of "Coffee With a Side of Confrontation, Please" sounds like H2O's more punk rock moments.
New Bruises' Transmit! Transmit! is a certainly promising debut. It's not exceptionally amazing, and could probably benefit from changing up the tempo once in a while and stretching the band's musical range, but it sounds honest, and at 35 minutes, is a perfect length for the style.
MP3s
Bigger Isn't Always Better. Yes, Texas This Means You
Hell Is a Highway (Connecting Tampa and Orlando)