Distant Like You Asked

Audio Mixer: Kyle Black.
After five years of heavy touring and a trio of well-received EPs, Canadian pop-punk/emo band Like Pacific finally deliver their debut full-length, Distant Like You Asked. The Toronto-based quintet, whose group motto is "stay pissed," offers up a tuneful, heavy-hitting set that is as tightly wound as it is cathartic. Some of the mathy, complex transitions show post-hardcore tendencies and singer Jordan Black displays some healthy lungs for screaming, but pop-punk melodies are at the core of Like Pacific's DNA. Big harmonies are scattered throughout the album's ten cuts, especially on tracks like "Richmond" and "Commitment." It's a promising debut, though after five years together, Like Pacific already have a veteran feel. ~ Timothy Monger