Population 39

With a reputation for breeding frat rockers like Hootie and the Blowfish, it was a surprise to hear such an inspired and original sound coming out of Columbia, SC. With swirling guitars reminiscent of 90’s rockers like Catherine Wheel or Ride, Population 39’s flagship release speaks of frustration, heartache and depression with surprisingly inspirational accompaniment. Drowning sets off quietly with mellow guitar lines and smooth background vocals, the kind that weigh heavily on your mind while unexpectedly keeping you singing along. Come Back chimes in with stellar production quality. The layers of guitars seem to break away with each crash of the snare drum. A new wall of sound is constructed with Synthetic Life. Perhaps the standout track on the disc, Synthetic Life crashes in loudly, giving the listener a possible view into the band’s live show spirit. The faster paced Different Way offers a testament to frustration aligned with dancing guitar lines. If this Population 39 release speaks to the quality of future material, take my advice and keep an ear out for this band.

Jay Pollard
VP Special Projects
Shut Eye Records
- Jay Pollard VP Special Projects

You can usually tell a lot about a band by the time it hits the one-year mark. By then a band with promise and drive should be getting gigs, honing their sound and putting out a record. A band that isn’t doing these things probably doesn’t have much of a future. Columbia’s Population 39 is marking its one-year mark with the release of a six song EP called Distant. Distant is a lively collection that stays mostly in the pop/punk tradition of bands like Green Day and Blink-182 but also adds an occasional nod to today’s neo-metal alt-rock. The strengths of the band are not in alt-rock, however, but in effervescent punk-lite songs like Distant and Different Way, which highlight the band’s easy way with writing hooks.

Dan Cook
Editor Free Times Weekly
- Free Times

Kid Anthem finds Population 39 decisively throwing its lot in with the pop-punk crowd, and doing so in glorious fashion. Songs like "Kid Anthem," "Plastic Society" and "Picture Perfect" revive the classic days of bands like NOFX, Green Day and Bad Religion without sounding like a simple rehash. The CD's production is right on target ‹ clean but crunchy, with wonderfully tweaked guitar tones and plenty of harmonies. Better yet, singer-guitarist Eric McCord finds a welcome balance between social critique, introspection, fun and love, making for some well-rounded punk that doesn't abandon its rebellious roots ‹ or bash you over the head with them.

Dan Cook
Free Times Editor - Free Times

"Holy S##T! This disc is great, crunchy pop punk music. This band is an "up and comer" that has what it takes to be a force to be reckoned with. Population 39 rocks!"

Dave Farra
Music Director
Big Afternoon Show Host
WARQ Rock 93.5
- Dave 93.5 Big Afternoon Show

Population 39 has been off and running since securing their solid line up last summer. The recent release of Kid Anthem finds them honing the So. Cal skate punk style they hinted at so earnestly with last winter’s Distant EP. Needing only 30 minutes (and change) to rip through 10 songs, Pop 39 employs plenty of thrash guitars, sharp hooks and “anti” attitudes to delight the Warped Tour/Fat Wreck Chords crowd. Not all agenda-oriented, however, Kid Anthem has some introspective moments that successfully retain the album’s tempo and demeanor.

Kevin Foster Langston
Music Editor
Free Times - Free-Times Weekly