The Major Minor – Maps – EP Review

The Major Minor are once again appearing on the scene with their second EP, entitled Maps. This pop-punk meets indie rock band from Detroit, Michigan, emerged onto the scene in 2015, with a debut EP called The Wasted Nights. This latest EP, features three songs that all focus on the early 2000’s pop punk sound which was quite familiar with their influences such as Yellowcard, Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy.

The title track of the album, “Maps” opens with a strong pop punk guitar, that continues throughout, while being mixed further behind the vocals. The vocals however, are lowered to place the song in the indie rock genre, yet also it draws from a distortion similar to that of grunge. This song talks about a common trend in today’s society, which is just going for your dreams, having faith in them and believing in yourself. The chorus opens with the lyrics of ‘These are maps of our dreams / Since I was sixteen / Without them I would be lost’ which fully encompass’ the ideology of just going for what you want in life and being happy. The song finishes with the distorted and buzzed fade that is common in both the pop punk and indie rock genres.

The second track, “Plans For Two” is about that one person that you want to be with and whom you would follow anywhere. This is a relationship where they are currently separated and they miss each other, and thus it transpires into their daily lives. It touches on the idea of how you never want to loose them, which is highlighted in the lyric of ‘We all have something to loose / I refuse to let that be you’. This song really shows the influence of the pop punk band, Yellowcard, with the combination of the drums and guitar bringing in the early pop punk atmosphere.

“Old Ally” is the final track on the album, that opens with the lyrics of ‘Goodbye old ally’ and the song talks about a relationship where they both wanted different things, so it has now come to and end, because of all the complications that arose from it. It seems that one person played the major role in the relationship and still is slightly bitter over the fact that it wasn’t a shared amount of affection or attention. This song has a faster pop punk tempo than the prior songs, but continue with the vocal track lowered enough to connect to the distortion of the indie rock mix that the album is presenting.

With these three songs, it is clear to see that The Major Minor draw a lot of influence into their music from whom they admire and listen to, and that they are focused on the pop punk genre that is currently spreading throughout the music scene. It will be interesting to see what this band will bring to the table next.

Rock On!

Alyssa (Rolling Music Reviews)