Turning Back Time

The musical genre of rock ‘n roll can be separated into many sub-genres — alternative rock, synth-rock, grunge, metal, etc. Dirty Fences, the four-person rock band hailing from New York City, hones in on punk rock but with their own twist.

While punk rock is often drenched in gutting emotion, Dirty Fences maintains the passion of punk rock but pivots the focus onto energetic fun. Not only is this heard in their music, but also seen in everything from their album art to music videos. And, of course, this trend is evident in every vibrant second of Goodbye Love.

The album kicks off with “All You Need Is A Number,” an anthem which is reminiscent of ‘70s garage rock. “911” is slightly softer and features echoing vocals, while still maintaining a jovial rock essence. The pace picks up again with “Dance,” as upbeat guitar tactfully thrashes through the song. Despite “Goodbye Love” being the title track, the song leaves something to be desired. The chorus repeatedly echoes “goodbye love” continuously, and the song is forgettable overall compared to many of the other tracks. Luckily, the energy picks up again with “Teen Angel.” The drums and guitar are methodically loud and explosive, while the vocals quickly pass through. It may be impossible to listen to this track without at least excitedly tapping a foot to the beat.

Through the second half of the album, the band showcases more versatility. Tracks such as “Message From Anyone” feature an almost folk-like dance tune, while “Never Over” and “Blue Screen” venture slightly closer to pop.

Despite highlighting different sounds throughout the album, Dirty Fences is not trying to sound like anyone else. They maintain their ‘70s party-rock sound throughout, and each track will make listeners want to dance. The album eventually concludes with “One More Step,” slightly slowing things down to close off the album. This is a successful example of the rare rock-duet, featuring the vocal talents of Christina Halladay.

Goodbye Love embodies the romanticized teenage experience of starting a garage band with friends, but this is not due to sounding inexperienced. The band has a genuinely youthful sound, and they clearly are having fun with it.