Summertime always tends to bring me back to the pop punk classics of my youth, from Fall Out Boy to Blink-182. Something about this season oozes the vibes fit for this genre, and so I was happy to come across “Hoping the Middle,” the latest single from Meanjin pop-punkers Talk Heavy.
Citing influences such as Cloud Nothings, Motion City Soundtrack, and +44, Talk Heavy is the “revitalized” project of the Brisbane-based band WALKEN. From 2021 to early 2022 the band focused on writing and recording, producing “Hoping the Middle” as well as other songs that are yet to be released.
The track kicks off with a ferocious start and hardly lets up during its 3.5 minute duration. The influences that Talk Heavy name are evident, but there are other comparisons that come to mind as well, including Superstar Car Wash-era Goo Goo Dolls (back when they were more punk than pop), or even the latter-half of The Replacements’ catalogue.
You can listen to the song below.
You can listen to “Hoping the Middle” on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
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