elude

Elude is a two-piece pop punk band (consisting of two brothers, Kevin and Ryan Atkins). Their work we’ll be reviewing today, Admit EP, is an excellent example of the good things in pop punk music. I had no expectations of what this would be like, but these two siblings have thoroughly impressed me. I’d definitely recommend checking this EP out.

Matthew Whipple - Pop Punk Will Never Die

Hoping to make a mark on the music scene, members of the newly formed local band Elude, which band members describe as on the “poppy side of pop-punk,” have put all of their time and effort into their first EP.
“We just want to get as big as we can,” bassist Ryan Atkins said.
The band from the Issaquah area is not off to a bad start. They’ve played shows at local teen centers and hope to play shows in Seattle once the EP is released.
The group formed in April with brothers Ryan, 23, and Kevin, 19. The pair, both Issaquah High School graduates, kick-started the process toward the EP in May.
“We really jumped right into it,” Kevin said.
The EP, titled “Admit EP,” explores the emotions of being a teenager. Most of the songs were written the summer after Kevin, who plays guitar and performs part of the vocals in the band, graduated from high school. Hence, the subjects were fresh from his teen years. Not surprisingly, Kevin said the songs often tell of the experiences of a teenage boy with girls — along with all of the drama that comes with that.
“Songs about growing up is a good way to describe it,” he said.
For example, in the song “Clocked Out,” Kevin writes about his inability sometimes to relate to his own generation:
“Clocked out / And I’ll fade out again
Nothing lasts forever / So don’t go chasing
Everything I see / Has nothing to do with me
So I’ll just sit and stare.”
Yet, he said the band members don’t want their music to seem melodramatic or too serious. They put the lyrics to fast-paced music to make these songs about growing pains fun for the audience.
The brothers said their music has been greatly influenced by the ‘90s in Southern California. They felt a strong connection with everything — from musical groups, such as Blink-182, to the fashion — that made that generation what it was.
“The whole punk-rock thing and a lot of bands that really influenced us originated in California,” Ryan said.
The brothers had been planning to create a band for years and from the start they had a clear idea of the direction they wanted to take. Still, Ryan said, they had a lot of things to learn. They admitted that at the first real show the brothers played, they used an iPod in place of a real drummer. They’ve made a lot of progress since then, Kevin said.
In May, the brothers found a drummer, Max Ferrin, a senior at Issaquah High. Kevin discovered Max’s ability to play drums through videos he had posted on Facebook, Max said.
Max is in a different position than the other members; balancing his involvement in the band with his responsibilities at school is not always easy, he said.
“We pretty much have to limit the practice to weekends,” he said. For now, school takes priority. “I kind of have to take a backseat in the band until I graduate.”
He said it has been the two brothers who have been able to devote their whole lives to the band who have really advanced the EP.
“We basically had no social lives the whole summer,” Ryan said, and his brother added, “Yeah, we basically had no lives.”
Recording the five-song EP has also been a costly process. Ryan said that if he hadn’t sold his 4-Runner, the EP would have been out of the question. Additionally, Kevin said that he took on a couple of jobs and sold a lot of things on craigslist so that they could afford the expenses of the EP.
Their sound engineer for the EP, Brian Lash, said he was surprised by the amount of energy that had come together in the EP up to this point.
“It’s turning out greatly,” he said. “It’s way better than we expected.”
The band will start by distributing the EP digitally, on sites such as iTunes and Amazon. When they can afford it, the brothers said they’ll start making hard copies of their first release.
According to Ryan, the EP should be out by the end of the year. Until then, one can listen to a sample of Elude’s music at www.eludemusic.com.
Stephannie Stokes is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com. - Issaquah Press

Since their explosive start, brothers Kevin and Ryan Atkins have come out swinging. Armed as only a duo playing bass and guitar, both members play a bit of drums–enough to get them by until they can get a full time drummer. Their vocals mingle perfectly, mixing with their upbeat sound in a delightful fashion that makes for the perfect punk rock band. With the vocal styling’s that sound similar to that of Blink-182's Tom Delonge, Elude is quickly on the rise and one of the best new punk rock bands that have formed. Sticking true to their punk rock sound, there is nothing tainting the band that others quickly fall through.

Jenna Graham and Holly Franz - Static 180

Elude is one of those bands who catches you completely off guard, and I mean that in a great way. I’m instantly drawn to this album because of one main reason, it sounds like the punk music I grew up with during my youth. Admit EP would fit absolutely perfectly in my playlist that weaves between early Blink 182, Sum 41, and even The Ataris. So many nostalgic thoughts flood my mind when jamming to the Admit EP by Elude.

The opening song “16 Days” captivates everything that is Elude. Their sound is raw, melodic, and overall serenading to your ear drums. The chorus’s alone flow so well that it’s impossible not to get into the groove of the album. “16 Days” is the perfect song to draw you in and keep your curiosity so high that you will want to listen to remaining 4 songs. It’s fast and its aggressive, everything an opening track should be.

This album is, for lack of better words, ruthless and unrelenting. Each song so carefully crafted with intricate melodies and amazing guitar work that has many great riffs and hooks, it will leave you addicted craving more. My first time listening to Admit EP I was frustrated, but not for the reason you think. I was frustrated that I didn’t’ know the lyrics from the very first listen. This is the perfect album you can put on when hanging out with friends or even if you’re alone rocking out in your car. No matter your location you will want to scream out the lyrics and put all your emotion into it. Not many albums these days will make you want to do that off the first listen.

Overall, this is a phenomenal release and I hope that Elude reaches unthinkable levels in their music careers. From the first song to last, you are taken on a musical journey that you never want to get off. If you have a pulse then you will want to buy this album because the moment you press play you will feel your blood rushing ferociously through your veins as if it’s an untamed beast. Elude has captured something so beautiful through their music, listen to it and drift away into a musical nirvana that is known as the Admit EP.

Written By: Tyler Schmidt - Neck Deep Media