2nd Grade
Hit To Hit
Double Double Whammy [2020]
With such a heavy world right now the sophomore record from Philadelphia’s 2nd Grade is the perfect dose of indie power pop to brighten any mood. Hit To Hit offers 24 tracks over 42 minutes and if you do the quick math it equals a short song music fest!
The record is a perfect capture of life as each song is really its own story. From the freedom found in “My Bike,” as singer Peter Gill emotionally lets out “When I’m on my bike, Everyone can just take a hike”to tax time on opening track “W2” when “1099 to ride” becomes a quick catchy hook! 2nd Grade has that special knack to make the catchiest 1-minute song into something you can instantly sing along with even though it may only have four lines.
2nd Grade’s Hit To Hit is a winner all the way around. I always like a short burst of power pop that does not try hard to capture your ear and 2nd Grade checks that box 24 times here. At times, Hit To Hit can have a very early Blue album era Weezer vibe while standing tall with some of our more recent indie power pop favorites like Young Guz and Oso Oso.
The band also offers up plenty of diversity with upbeat numbers, acoustic bedroom songs and several different vocalists outside Gill throughout the album. I guarantee you can’t walk away from this record not humming one of these hooks. Looking to turn your day around – crank up 2nd Grade!
Key Tracks: “Velodrome” / “My Bike” / “Denis Hopper In Easy Rider”
Artists With Similar Fire: Young Guv / Oso Oso / Weezer
2nd Grade Website
2nd Grade Facebook
Double Double Whammy
-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony
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