Teenage Movie Soundtrack is the perfect title for Heyrocco’s debut album, as it certainly would not sound out of place as the soundscape to a ’90s indie rom-com. It can often be argued that ’90s-deriving grunge bands are nothing short of a dull nostalgia, unable to capture the riveting essence of Nirvana or the pop-punk of Weezer. However, Heyrocco’s fuzz is a sweet and surprising exception.

The Carolina coast band set the scene with opener ‘Loser Denial’, spinning out the tale of a teenage misfit: “Why haven’t I found my place yet, I’m never a hundred percent…” evocatively whine the lyrics over a grunge tingling fuzz. Despite its downbeat lyrical content – “I hate almost everyone, I find it hard to still have fun” – Heyrocco somehow still manage the ability to uplift the listener with an energetic and electric sound.

‘Elsewhere’ introduces us to the bad-boy character that seduces the innocent, well-to-do girl. Heyrocco sing “I don’t know what the harm is in staying for staying for just one hour, I’ll have you back before your family’s heads get sour“, depicting the alluring characters’ script for the date invite to the big party. A scramble of guitars adds an adolescent and fun enticing magnetism to the high-school-esque tale of romance.

Painting the story of the changing pubescent individual is ‘Mom Jeans’. The boys adorably sing of a girl whose adolescent changes are not to their amorous taste – “I kind of like the old you better than the new you”. With a jangle of sweetly gritty guitar chords and drum shakes, the Heyrocco boys paint the innocence of a girl they preferred in a more neutral virtuousness, wearing ‘Mom Jeans’.

‘Virgin’ is a reflection on the classic teenager’s concern of who’s boasting of their sexual exploits. With a glimmer of darkness, the track growls at the cruel judgment and competition of youth. As possibly the most grunge track on the record, ‘Virgin’ nostalgically shudders as a spawn of those ’90s band before them, with added modern character.

With anecdotes from youth, Teenage Movie Soundtrack does exactly what it says on the tin. Heyrocco create the perfect emo soundscape for the scuzzy and slovenly adolescent, or those who simply wish to douse their ears in a slice of the angst of the teenager.

The band’s lyrics are enough to flicker a movie reel through the brain and have you wanting to reach for the pop-corn, lost in their personas and stories. Described previously as ‘Disney-grunge’, the US trio behold the power to uplift with their dark mantra due to their bitter, yet stark and striking, energy and softness towards romance. Nostalgic bands can often be marked as dull and done before, yet Heyrocco reignite a certain adorable scuzz that’s too sweet to be forgotten.

Teenage Movie Soundtrack is out 10 July via Vital Music Group.

 

Emily Schofield
@EmSchofield94