Nuh-Uh!
All My Friends
(Permenent Records)
3.5/5
While playing a show in downtown Victoria this August, local band Nuh-Uh! surprised the audience by announcing their first EP, releasing that same night.
All My Friends stays true to the band’s sound—somewhere between surf punk and punk rock—while at the same time managing to add something new after two years of playing live.
“Eden Loves Dirt,” the album’s opening track, shows this right away by fitting a bit of brass into the post-chorus, replacing the tune that would typically be vocalized. The trumpet and trombone manage to set the song apart from its live version, standing out in a way that makes the song more memorable.
Despite this, Nuh-Uh!’s main vocalist Josje Bee Kelly still gets to show that her singing is on point. The album’s lyrics circle around teenage troubles, being authentically juvenile without making it feel any less real, much thanks to Kelly’s delivery.
The skilled instrumentation, along with the friendly 20-minute runtime, keeps most of the album ideal for casual listening; topics that might feel melodramatic in other contexts feel energizing here, without getting too loud for the average listener. I’ve found myself listening to All My Friends a lot as background music, and while there is enough lyrically to connect deeper, it has its limits as a short EP.
Turning up the volume isn’t beyond this album, though; it’s just used sparingly. “Eyes Wide Shut” sees the electric guitar much louder for its ending, giving a needed weight to the song’s frustrations, while the end of “Chalice” adds distorted sounds that create a feeling of static as the EP winds down to a close.
All My Friends speaks earnestly on shallow or unavailable partners, people acting out, and messy relationships, setting the drama to music that’s easy to enjoy. Despite the adolescent topics, the album makes itself quite palatable while maintaining Nuh-Uh!’s personality and finally bringing them to streaming platforms.