“The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us” would be a pretty on-the-nose title for many records, but itap especially literal for ’s full-length debut, a record that should top the list of those things we do.
The Philly band’s debut LP is a fast and loose collection of bite-sized anthemic punk songs in the vein. Or, more accurately, Japandroids are the relatively guarded younger version of Beach Slang. Though this is the Philly band’s first LP, itap hardly the first foray for any of these musicians, and the decades of making music must have helped encourage them to make a record as baldly heartfelt as this.
“The Things We Do” is bound to set off struggles between the hearts and heads of those who hear it. Overwhelming sincerity tends to trigger a “this is uncool” response in the brain, but give this record the 27 minutes it demands and it could have your heart on the hook.
Some of the songs are too similar to distinguish without a few attentive listens, so the first impression “The Things We Do Makes” is simply a feeling. Power chords and shout-along choruses start to sound the same, but when they’re good, they’re nearly irresistible. This is the kind of music that does not let you stand still. Itap made for blasting from cars at night, or savoring in a beer soaked club and not being embarrassed about any of it. There’s nothing subtle in “The night is alive / Itap loud and I’m drunk” or “I try to use my brain / But every time I try, my heart gets in the way,” and Beach Slang doesn’t care. Being honest is the best way to find people who feel like you.
