Irreplaceable Beings may be a newer band, but they’re no stranger to releasing exciting material. The band already has four EPs under their belt, with the latest being Pasadena Ave. The album was released on January 1st of 2023 and features a new lineup for the band, consisting of Jason Thomas on drums, Shane Forster on bass, Shaun Rucker on rhythm guitar, Sara Russell providing backing vocals, Riff on the lead guitar, and Pierre Marche performing lead vocals.
While the group has shuffled around the lineup, the sound of Pasadena Ave is unmistakably an entry in their lane of hooky, melodic power pop-punk. From the very first track, titled shoestrings, you get the idea that this tight six-song EP will be a fun listen. The melodies are infectious, the tones are warm and crisp, and the song-writing is both fun and, at times poignant. While the band is based in Reno, Nevada, the group writes catchy pop-punk tunes that would seem at home coming from a band out of the California scene.
Although the first thing that jumps out about this EP is the power-poppy punk aesthetic, Irreplaceable Beings are at their best on songs that have layers to dig into. This is an attribute the group excels at on Pasadena Ave, as many of the songs are just as enjoyable as a more surface level listen as they are to discerning second and third listens. Songs like “She Ran” provide an opportunity to both nod your head along to the rhythm as well as possibly connect to the lyrics. This cut may remind one of the Bouncing Souls classic “Lean on Sheena” both in subject matter and general aura. The anthemic song stands out as a real highlight of the project that we encourage you to give a listen if you haven’t checked out Irreplaceable Beings yet.
Other highlights on the project include “Images” and the opening track “Shoestrings.” Overall, we recommend you check out Pasadena Ave if you enjoy a cleaner pop-punk sound that provides a melodic and hooky aesthetic. While the EP is short at just six songs long, it still jumps out how easy a listen it is with a lot of replay ability as well. You can find Irreplaceable Beings on their social media sites, and you can check out Pasadena Ave on the groups’ Bandcamp. Let us know what you think of this exciting new project!
