A strong return from the PNKSLM group…Believe it or not, but over five-years have passed since Yung released their debut album ‘A Youthful Dream’. When the dust had settled on that album’s cycle the band weren’t as quite as proud of it as they hoped. This collective feeling made them not want to rush its follow-up. Instead, they took their time and crafted something that surpasses their debut while not sounding jarring or out of place next to it.
On the surface ‘Ongoing Dispute’ is an incredibly catchy album. After a listening to it for a few seconds you are hooked. Reeled into a world of brash guitars and memorable melodies. The music imbibes you with a feeling that you can do anything. It’s addictive. This, however, is only have of the story. Peel away those cascading guitars and harmonies and you have something else entirely.
As the title suggests ‘Ongoing Dispute’ is an album about change and taking a stand. Sometimes those changes are personal ‘Autobiography’ and ‘Progress’. Others are about confronting injustices in society ‘Above Water’. And then you have ‘Lust and Learning’ which is about small-town inertia but is actually about society as a whole.
Ultimately the album is a testament about taking your time and not rushing things. Throughout its gestation there was an almost constant ongoing dispute with the band about it. These discussions were worth it as ‘Ongoing Dispute’ isn’t just the strongest material the band has released to date, but is filled with progress, lust and learning.
8/10
Words: Nick Roseblade
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