OOC: Song and lyrics at the bottomNew Zealand pop-punkers Miss Way don't pull any punches with debut 'Chasing California'Kerrang! Magazine review
Paige Williams: More than just a pretty face.Is it just me, or is the only New Zealand band that anyone else can think of also Flight of the Conchords? If I'm being perfectly honest, it didn't bode well for this Auckland five-piece that I sat down with Pepeleptic Dogs running through my mind when the time came to review this single. Not to worry though, because they soon blew away my preconceived notions of their country's music with a song that is well executed, well written, and surprisingly laced with emotions listeners might not have expected from a female fronted pop-punk band!
For anyone not familiar with Miss Way, they were the Oceanic winners of Chaos Records' Triple Threat Basement Jam contest which saw them signed to a major label contract along with European and North American champions Sonnets & Novellas and Escape Artists Never Die. Since winning the contest, they went somewhat quiet, preferring to stay away from the spotlight - unlike their counterparts - before delivering this debut single, and it was definitely something that was well worth waiting for, as Miss Way deliver a punchy and energetic debut that will not be forgotten in a hurry.
For all that Paramore and Riot! In the Boulevard have done to eradicate the notion many people have of girl-fronted rock bands, it's hard to look at someone and not imagine what they will sound like. Do this with Miss Way at your peril. If you're expecting to hear some happy go lucky high school anthem, or a whiny ode to a love lost, then prepare to be proved wrong. Chasing California is a song that latches firmly on to the angrier side of pop punk that has been more prevalent in recent times with the emergence of bands like The Story So Far and The Wonder Years. The track broaches subjects such as failure, bitterness, anger and schadenfreude/revenge, without ever sounding even slightly cliched. It narrates a tale of someone who thinks they are better than their origins, aiming high and trying to achieve fame and fortune, but ultimately failing. The sarcasm laced through the chorus as singer Paige Williams hopes that the subject is still aiming high, despite being nothing more than a failure in life, is among the best uses of wordplay seen in 2013.
The crowning glory is the sound though. You see a pretty blonde girl and some well manicured young guys front a band, and you expect Fall Out Boy and Panic at the Disco-esque anthems, right? Well think again. This is a song that drips sarcasm, bitterness and anger. The vocals are delivered with a punch to the gut. As talented as the vocals from Paige are, she spits them out with an air that says messing with her would be a bad mistake. And then...well then there's the guitar work. I often forget how pop-punk has morphed in the last decade. Gone are the Green Day and Blink-led days of simple chord progressions and faux-Californian accents, replaced by real riffs, well thought out progressions and genuine talent. And this is something that Miss Way has in bags.
In short, ignore this at your peril, and forget everything your mind wants to tell you. Chasing California is an anthem for the scorned, a song for the bitter and a theme for the burned. Miss Way have delivered something that most definitely proves they have what it takes to make it to the top.
RATED: 4/5
Miss Way - Chasing California
Chasing California is a modern pop-punk song that brings together the sort of happy aura of the genres origins with the bitter and more aggressive forms of the style that have become commonplace in some contemporary bands. It begins with an upbeat mid-tempo intro where one guitar plays an airy and light riff over the top of a clap-along drum beat just begging to be thumped out across a range of festivals this summer and beyond. The verse ends with two abrupt beats that herald the arrival of the main riff, a slightly heavier and faster guitar sound, accompanied by more animated and skilled drum beats. It is at this point that the song sounds a bit more aggressive, setting the stage perfectly for the first sound of the vocals from Paige Williams.
While many probably expected Paige to sound like the typical girl rocker, her voice is very much different. She has a cutting sarcastic tone that seems to just pore from her voice throughout, the bitter and aggressive way she sings immediately setting her apart and giving a strong notion of the tone of the song. In each of the verses, the vocals are the main focus, with the music almost going quiet and turning to intricate yet slow single notes rather than the bouncy riffs that were evident in the intro, allowing the venomous, bitter message within the sarcastic lyrics to stand tallest. At the end of each of the verses, which consist of two banks of four lines describing Paige and the object of her scorn respectively, there is a brief musical bridge, during which one of the guitars plays a few slow chords and Paige whispers a "message".
The choruses are far different, with the pace picking up. The music is louder, faster and a lot more pop-punk in a traditional sense than the verses. Each of the lines runs together to keep up with the fast tempo and the energy, giving an almost breathless and relentless feeling to the nature of the song and the theme behind it. Finally, when the last chorus comes to an end, there is a small bridge again, during which one guitar plays some soft chords and the other plays something akin to a solo (unheard of in pop-punk). The track ends with Paige gently singing the last few lines over this musical section, before the track fades to silence. Paige says"This song is something I've been sitting on for a lot of years, waiting to break it out, and I thought there was no better time than now. It's about a real life guy who broke my heart when I was 15. We were dating when he decided that he wanted to go to California to chase his dream of becoming a star and an actor - hence the chorus and the title - and then I never heard from him again. This is sort of saying about how I like to imagine that he's still out there chasing that dream in vain. It's a bit of a nasty notion, to want someone to fail, but sometimes people have bad feelings towards people who hurt them.
"I think the reason I wanted to release this early in our careers was to showcase myself as a writer. I think as women we're often portrayed as being soft and sensitive, and there are a lot of people who write about break ups in a way that does nothing to debunk this myth. I wanted to just blow it out the water, so I'm showing the bitter, angry, sarcastic side of a break up. You know, the side that laughs when an ex gets divorced or fat? Yeah, that's sort of the notion I was going for. And I'm sure we've all been there at some point. I'm sweet, really I am, although this song makes me sound like a bitch. I'm just not afraid to take my claws out if I need to haha."
"I like the notion of being pop-punk. It's something I grew up on, listening to things like Blink, Green Day and New Found Glory, but at the same time, I'm not sure it fits our style exactly. I feel like modern pop-punk needs a new name. Ourselves and like Four Year Strong and stuff, we're far more aggressive and angry than bands of 'our genre' were a few years back. So yeah, although I suppose we are pop-punk at the very roots of what we do, I hope people can appreciate that it's a genre that has evolved and become far more sophisticated than the whole "I skateboard, drink beer and fuck your mom" attitude that was all too prevalent in 2001.
LyricsBeen dragging my feet, keeping them on the ground
Never reaching up, never going for the clouds
One sure fire way to never fail to fall short
My life feels so settled, so straight ahead.
But you, you were dazzled by the lights,
Abandon this sinking ship, taking flight
Always looking up, aiming beyond the stars,
Live now, fuck it, you said you'll sleep when you're dead
I'd like to think that you're still chasing California,
Reaching for your goals and never failing
I hope your eyes are still set on your dreams and goals
Left us behind, and we're still trailing
I'd like to think, I'd love to think,
When you left I couldn't eat, I'd never drink
But I'd like to to think
That you're still chasing CaliforniaTrying to influence my style of dress and fashion
Our friends still tell me I like fight and passion
Never gone outside my safe place, my comfort zone
Afraid to stray from the path, to think outside the box
You were never afraid, never scared to walk your own line
Always on the cusp of greatness, looking for a chance to shine
You wanted more and you set out to grab your chance
Escaped your binds, walked away and broke restrictive locks
Away from me, you walked away, escaped the clutches!I'd like to think that you're still chasing California,
Reaching for your goals and never failing
I hope your eyes are still set on your dreams and goals
Left us behind, and we're still trailing
I'd like to think, I'd love to think,
When you left I couldn't eat, and I'd never drink
But I'd like to to think
That you're still chasing CaliforniaWhen did you go, do you still remember who I am, or did I flop
Are you a star, now I've set my goals, I'm also reaching for the top
Did you ever think that you would see me shine
Will you notice when we bump shoulders on the walk of fame
Where are you, I never saw your name in the morning news
Never saw you on the TV, where's your movie, are you singing blues?
Take some time to learn that everything won't be alright
I'm in the middle of my ride, but you've reached the end of the game
And it's.....overI'd like to think that you're still chasing California,
Reaching for your goals and never failing
I hope your eyes are still set on your dreams and goals
Left us behind, and we're still trailing
I'd like to think, I'd love to think,
When you left I couldn't eat, and I'd never drink
But I'd like to to think
That you're still chasing CaliforniaI'd like to think that you're still chasing California,
Cos now I sleep, now I eat, now I drink
Without you.....
Sounds Like - (But with a less gruff female singer)
