POZ Review: Real Friends - Put Yourself Back Together

propertyofzack:

*This review was composed by Zac Lomas and edited by Erik van Rheenen

A record can do a lot of things; it can tell a story, it can make us dance, or, as with Real Friends’ latest endeavor Put Yourself Back Together, it can address past romance and heartache while also creating acceptance and closure. The band’s sixth release in the past two years, this record exists somewhere between a long EP and a short LP, with seven tracks of pop punk meaty enough to fill any fan’s eager palette. 

In a way the record acts as an open letter to a past lover, ambiguously dubbed “you” throughout the entire record, and vocalist Dan Lambton unabashedly chastises this “you” to no end. Lambton is unafraid to simultaneously lament, criticize, and tear apart his past love with each emotional and genuinely heartfelt song.

While Put Yourself Back Together certainly retains this epistolary nature throughout each track, it also pays homage to the art of song and its direct connection to emotion, creating a meta-record. O “Dirty Water,” Lambton not only draws comparisons between himself and his former lover, stating: “You’re just like me, the only difference is that I’m honest enough to scream my faults in the lines of this song,” but also reflects on the sad nature of the very song he’s singing.

As with past Real Friends’ albums, the band continues to indoctrinate as many fans into their Sleepy Eyes and Bony Knees Club as possible, referencing their signature way of self-identifying at every turn. With each consecutive track Lambton adds another offhand mention of either his sleepy eyes or bony knees, subtly weaving in each allusion as if there was no major significance behind them. However, longtime fans will smile when hearing tracks like “Late Nights In My Car,” “Lost Boy,” and “Dead.” While these tracks all mention either sleepy eyes or bony knees, it is in the album’s closing track, where Lambton gives his fans what they want and resolves the two halves of the saying when he screams, “You’ll be thinking of my sleepy eyes and bony knees! You’ll be thinking of me!”

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POZ BandsOnBands: Real Friends On Rancid

propertyofzack:

Monday means BandsOnBands, and we’re excited to be posting this PropertyOfZack feature today with Dan Lambton of Real Friends. The band will be releasing Put Yourself Back Together tomorrow, and it can be pre-ordered here.

In this week’s feature, Dan discusses his love for Rancid. Dan tells the story of how he found the band and transitioned into their music from later pop-punk bands like blink-182 and Sum 41 and how he has been a huge fan ever since, and how it helped shape him. Listen to songs by Rancid here and check out what Dan had to say about one of his biggest influences below!

From Dan Lambton of Real Friends:

When I was younger, I was a fucking nerd (and I still am). I would sit around and play video games all day, I hardly had any friends, and my mom would give me Dutch boy haircuts until I was about thirteen years old. At that point, I was at an age where I was (too old for the bowl cuts, in addition to) taking in all of the new music I could, borrowing Enema of the State and All Killer No Filler from my older cousin and relying on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtracks to lead me to all of the music I listen to today. One band that really caught my ear on these soundtracks was Rancid. 

I’d heard “Fall Back Down” on one of the Tony Hawk Underground games and got hooked. I gathered every penny I could over the next couple months and eventually got a hold of their entire discography up to that point. I got on the bandwagon a little late (I was barely four years old when And Out Came the Wolves was released, gimme a break), but better late than never. I finally got to see Rancid for the first time at the House of Blues in Chicago with a few of my friends during my sophomore year of high school. That’s where I finally had that “first punk show” epiphany, the moment where you realize everybody is there for the music and none of the bullshit. Nobody gave a fuck about how you dressed, how many shows you’ve been to, what other bands you listened to, or whatever. All they cared about was that you were there and that you were having a good time. Hell, I couldn’t even fall and hit the ground because at every second there was always someone willing to help me back up.

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Anonymous asked: BLACKHAWKS. BLACKHAWKS. BLACKHAWKS.

my dad said im a pussy because i dont like sports

emo-is-a-gang asked: I sat here trying to think of something to ask you guys but I couldn't so I just wanna say you guys mean a lot to me as a band and you have great lyrics that come from the heart. People who criticize you on the grounds of being a "generic pop punk band" are stupid because your music is a lot more than pop-punk. It has its own beauty and I actually feel like it emulates Midwestern emo more than pop punk. Anyway keep being awesome. I'm thinking of getting your lyrics tattooed soon as well.

thanks so much! that means a ton to us. emo 4 eva

j-moneey182 asked: Can you explain the Crooked back reference off This Is Honesty?

my mom says I should straighten up my back. shut up mom.

Anonymous asked: Just saw this on my dash and thought you guys would appreciate it: "justpierceusalreadygod: real friends saved my life when i was in the hospital for a suicide attempt and they were all that i listened to they mean everything to me and put yourself back together has me crying i love them i love them thank you for fucking existing you beautiful band omg <3"

<3 that is amazing. thank you for that.

electrictoaster asked: Do you guys have any idea when the next time you'll be coming around St. Louis will be? I would kill to see you guys live and you haven't come around since I got into you. :<

this fall…pinky swear.