Experimental rockers The Average are anything but average. Nate Peckinpaugh (vocals), Trent Thompson (guitar), Chris Campbell (drums), and Jake “Thor” McDole made their stage debut in July of 2013 and now, a year and a half later, they are finishing up their first pro studio recording.
The self-titled EP is due in May but two tracks have already been released to the public, with two more coming out later this month. If the two tracks already available (“Creatures” and “Place Your Bets”) are any indication, the band has successfully managed to bring the lightning-in-a-bottle of their stage show to the studio.
“Place Your Bets” starts off as a straightforward rocker, bright and full of energy, but quickly proves there’s more than initially meets the ear with some very strong dynamics encompassing nice hooks and rhythmic shifts. Vocals, guitar, bass, drums—all are meted out with equal parts power and polish reminiscent of Motion City Soundtrack. I feel like I get a good fix on the musical era these fellas grew up with…
“Creatures” pursues a different tack, venturing into heavy psychedelia. Trippy, hard-edged—what’s not to love? Here’s the kicker: You can judge for yourself by following the band’s presence on Youtube, a bit of social media the boys plant to take full advantage of in the coming months.
Subscribe here: youtube.com/theaveragesounds and keep an eye open for a full and in-depth review of their entire EP right here in the pages of The Pulse when it drops in May.