The Bombpops Death In Venice Beach Vinyl LP

Where The Bombpops had a Fear of Missing Out on their 2017 debut full-length, their highly anticipated follow up shows what happens when you’re too involved with booze, bad situations, and behavior that’s unsustainable at best and destructive at worst. It’s right there in the title – Death in Venice Beach – an allusion to Thomas Mann’s celebrated novella about the price of an artistic life. What draws The Bombpops hasn’t changed on their newest effort: highly melodic punk with big guitars, vocal harmonies, and the SoCal sound that inspired the quartet to pick up instruments. But the more light-hearted skate punk of Fear of Missing Out has a serrated edge on Death in Venice Beach, as they explore darker themes – (even though the songs are catchier than ever!) – drawing from real life experiences leading up to and during the making of Death in Venice Beach. “Double Arrows Down” describes a time in 2018 when singer Poli Van Dam suffered a potentially life-threatening diabetic seizure on tour. Poli opens up about her struggles with substance abuse in “13 Stories Down” and “Can’t Come Clean.” The personal mixes with the metaphysical in lead single “Notre Dame.” The fire at the famed 700-year-old cathedral prompted self-reflection in singer Jen Razavi, who was inspired by its centuries-long history. It’s not all darkness, though. Listeners are treated to a comical snippet of one of The Bombpops’ intraband arguments at the beginning of “Can’t Come Clean,” and “House on Fire” begins with a piano-led singalong at Fat Mike’s Six Floggs Abusement Park studio. Even the album’s darkest moments are laced with the sort of humor fans have come to expect from The Bombpops. Don’t miss them live as they will be hitting the road hard as usual in support of Death in Venice Beach.