DIY will never die – and the statement couldn’t be more true for the music scene. If you’re so inclined to dive deep, you’ll discover tunes that you just might spin for years to come. Using KingdomLeaks (RIP) to track new releases is how I discovered pulses. when I was just getting my start in writing, and I’ve been hooked on their brand ever since. In an industry where it’s easy for one band to sound just like another, that mantra doesn’t apply for the Virginia-based group that amalgamates so many far-reaching influences into a post-hardcore blender that the end result is a surprise for every first listen. I loved Speak It Into Existence in 2020, so my bar is high for pulses. to keep their signature sound intact in It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This.
Opening with a one-two punch of singles in “Different Strokes” and “Run The Ghouls” (bravo on the seamless transition), expect a brash, funky introduction in It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This. Dueling guitar melodies, stumping time signatures in the bridge, and a vocal verse that delightfully parrots the cadence of Slipknot’s “Psychosocial” just in the first song, it’s such a fun mixed bag. The latter track has such compelling, varied vocal delivery that only gets better when you realize how many references are crammed in that the Genius.com page would need Cliff notes. Follow that up with a trifecta of features in “Loafers With The White Socks” with nightlife/Belle/Gavin Cole that feels more like a group effort than a drag-and-drop, and this three-song start couldn’t be stronger.
It was bold of pulses. to utilize all three singles for It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This at the start of the record, but they’ve always been a band where the deep cuts are on par. That rings true with “Ain’t Got No Ceiling” as the producer chops of guitarist/vocalist Caleb kick in with binaural cues and stellar equalization across all the moving parts. Band bestie Sierra Binondo of With Sails Ahead returns in “Honestly Honestly” as a more low-key, honed-in performance from the band sets the stage for her to truly shine – across the majority of the track, a more-than-welcome addition. The bass intro in “Ask A Unc” is gonna turn heads, as this groovy midpoint is likely the one I’ll be singing along to the most.
Where It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This goes out of left field is “Take A Look Y’all” with ample raps, intensely-clever lyric lines, and divine guitar runs making this an easy standout song. If that wasn’t enough, here comes ska post-hardcore in “Them Phones” – and it somehow works. Maybe it’s because minor key isn’t where we typically hear these instruments, but it adds a certain dramatic flair that complements the track massively; tack on the middle 8 reminding me of Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out” and this song truly fires on all cylinders.
The more eclectic side of pulses. heard in Speak Less comes out in “Kupo!”, a two-minute whirlwind that juxtaposes every song that came before it in intensity and meter. “Heaven or Helvetica” has a neat little chug and a savory bridge after chorus two – plus some growls for an interesting change. Title track “It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This” channeled some Timbaland energy and the record comes to a close with “But It Is” capturing the six-minute closure that the album needed for a sendoff. It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This is easily pulses.’ best work, an album that definitely benefits if you fixate on the lyricism, the background details in the self-production, and incredible range that the band possesses. I’ll be spinning this one for a good while.
