With heavy rocking tunes and fully-charged energy, the North Carolina-based punk rockers Juniper Avenue dropped their sophomore record Chuck Rock on the 4th of April 2023, and today we’re going to dig deep into it together.
Juniper Avenue opened Chuck Rock with pure punkish riffs and a powerful attitude, making their direction loud and clear. It has an energetic flow with an insanely enjoyable drumline and a kickass solo, all within a catchy solid structure that keeps the listener hooked and moving. The title track Chuck Rock comes next, building on its predecessor’s energy and vibes with a more melodic approach and classic rock elements. I loved the vocal melody and how it handled the song’s dynamic twists and turns, as those rocking riffs kept on changing in an interesting dynamic roller coaster backed by deep hard-hitting bass and eargasmic drumming. With a blasting stream of melodies Self and Pity Doubt comes next, they cleverly steered toward a more mellow direction at the verse that created a smooth buildup and focused more on their harmonies and layering before boosting the energy again at the chorus. It has an emotional side that was fueled by the sweet guitar licks and melodies and the full-of-life vocals that would create some sing-along moments when played live. Exploring more complex grounds writing-wise, Juniper Avenue pushed their boundaries further on Miss Shine. Adding some stoner and classic prog elements to their sound, and extended guitar parts alongside well-arranged and carefully crafted dynamic shifts took us on a diverse-sounding journey with heavy fuzzy riffs coming together with fluid oriental melodies in a beautifully energetic mix that had me fully focused. Acacia comes around the center of the record creating a sonic build-up before Victim hits with its infectious energy and escalating progressing sound. It has a significant Muse-like vibes with Juniper Avenue’s classic fuzzy twist. Showing another side of their inspirations comes Bumfuzzle with its driving irresistible flow. It has a country-influenced groove with an open big sound and an organic catchy progression that only moves forward, offering heavy rocking riffs that blend a number of influences smoothly and seamlessly in one big “Juniper Avenue” mix. Juniper Avenue cements their classic roots with Vodka Man, a rocking tune with an old-school production and intense irresistible flow with mood-boosting build-ups and tight arrangement. Everybody/Everywhere comes next bringing back the blasting sound and punk influences. With an ever-changing structure that freely swings between soft build-ups that act as launching pads for the roller coaster riffs that come after them, it easily became my favorite song off the record. I was blown away by Danny Fanatic’s bass intro, it had me heavily banging my head throughout the whole song as we move through abstract atmospheric sections and heavy proggy ones in a heavy psychedelic journey with a dynamic chaotic pace. Ending the record on a high note comes Bang! It kinda mixes what Juniper Avenue has been doing throughout the whole record, offering a taste of each and every direction they’ve been through. It has an entertaining structure that magically keeps all these shifts and changes together in a solid unified flow that’s full of surprises.
Chuck Rock is a record that shows Juniper Avenue’s diverse writing skills and character. They managed to smoothly shift between genres and influences while keeping their sound alive in a sign of well-knowledge of their direction and vision. Looking forward to more from Juniper Avenue, keep on rocking guys. Cheers!
