Atlantic/Pacific: Meet Your New Love

There’s the old saying that old punks don’t die, they just get quieter. The expression seems to imply that these musicians have nothing new to say or offer, a perspective that overlooks the new musical contributions from some old school punks. Take Brooklyn’s Atlantic/Pacific for example. The group is co-fronted by former Texas Is the Reason screamer Garrett Klahn. Klahn’s throaty, heart-wrenched hardcore vocals are missing on Atlantic/Pacific’s debut album, Meet Your New Love. Though Klahn’s newest project doesn’t match the decibel level of Texas Is the Reason, it features the same heartfelt songwriting that first pushed him into the spotlight.

Instead of noise-shredding punk anthems, Meet Your New Love is directed by an expert sense of dynamics and wonderfully orchestrated instrumentation. Songs float by like the near-whispered vocals, a real strength and curse of Meet Your New Love: the album is certainly accessible, but some of the weaker songs pass by unnoticed. Fortunately for Atlantic/Pacific, tunes like “Patterns” — a song which fittingly explores dealing with one’s past — are proof that some old punks still have a knack for songwriting.