‘Come on and let’s settle down and settle in, To the warmth of Armageddon, And the song of endless grinding gears, Bled bone dry, automized, docile, feckless, and numb’ (Futurability?)

Pop-punk always seems like one of those things that should be easy to do, having almost a throwaway quality to it.  But as with most things that seem thrown together, there is rather a lot more going on than first meets the eye and to do it really well is no easy task.  However, Southern California’s No Plan prove themselves more than up for the challenge.

The band’s pedigree is actually one rooted very much in the hardcore scene featuring as they do, Eva Hall (Gather / Power Alone), Matt Ants (Headcount), Dave Itow (Berthold City), Whitney Marshall (Ursula), and Eagle Barber (Stay Gold).  Their debut 2022 self-titled EP felt very much like the band was trying on their new sound for size, not necessarily tentatively but not yet fully confident in their new surrounds.

Such inhibitions are now assuredly thrown to one side and their new full-length Lotsa Potential sees the band deliver a fully realised, catchily melodic slice of pop-punk.  Tightly honed songs, lean guitars, and a crisply punchy rhythm section provide the perfect backdrop for the rasping vocal delivery.  And all the while the band’s hardcore roots ensure that they imbue proceedings with a robust aggression.  Similarly, socially aware lyrics tackle themes of economic exploitation (Futurability?), finding hope in amongst the social carnage (No Planthem), abortion rights (Doesn’t Matter Why) as well as more introspective reflections on Law Of Motion and Wrong.  Highlights include the raucous No Planthem and blistering Rich Kids On Anarchy, before closing with a rousing cover of Big Mouth by 1990s’ Californian pop-punk band, The Muffs.