June is a bit of a step off the beaten path for Victory Records, their Chicago hometown label. While their debut Speak Any Faster followed closely in the footsteps of emo punk poster bands, their latest release, Make it Blur, is a surprisingly versatile and well crafted pop record.
The band is still young and not really making any dangerous moves just yet, but the radio friendly lines that defined them are morphing into something more permanent than their previous releases would indicate.
Make it Blur moves more along with the likes of Mae, Paulson, or The Fold than Fall Out Boy or the Starting Line. The songs are driven with major chords towards catchy choruses over layers of pop guitar riffs, rich bass tone, roomy drums, a hint of synth, and a flawless youthful voice. Unfortunately, the lyrics can be a bit adolescent, but then again, weren't the Beatles the same way?
It seems as though June is in the midst of some adolescent stages, and while all of the pieces are in place and they've made important growth, they're still just on the verge of taking shape.




Artist: June
Album: Make it Blur
Victory Records
12 songs, 46 minutes