I Like Allie – Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking LP (Engineer Records / Paper + Plastick / No Reason Records / General Soreness Records)

After numerous singles and one EP release, I Like Alley returns with a debut full-length album. Although this is another vinyl record released in 2021, Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking deserves your utmost attention. Like many other recordings, delayed due to the ongoing chaos in pressing plants, the vinyl record arrived a little late at our headquarters but better late than never. This time, Engineer Records have teamed up with Paper + Plastick, No Reason Records, and General Soreness Records. I am familiar with all the record labels except General Soreness, and all I can say is that they are known for many outstanding vinyl releases. Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking is no exception either.

Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking carries nine excellent songs that possess something for everyone. I Like Alley continuously glides over so many complementary subgenres of punk rock it’s nearly impossible to notice them all. You’ll hear the sheer dominance of emo, but that’s not the only primary genre that this band nurtures throughout the entire album. You’ll stumble upon classic indie, modern indie rock, pop-punk, and melodic punk rock along the way, but that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. There’s something more I Like Allie pays attention to than the music genres, and that’s the ambiance. The way this band explores all the beforementioned genres differs from the remainder of the contemporary bands I had a chance to listen to in recent years.

I Like Alley know how to assemble meaningful, powerful, emotive songs that will remain spinning on your turntable/playlist for a very long time. They count on their ability to create a distinctive atmosphere, so they could sound different from the rest of the scene, and they nailed in their aims. You’ll realize that as soon as you figure out how these tracks were written, assembled, arranged, and recorded by the band that unquestionably thinks outside the box. Their combination of Midwest emo, European emo, pop-punk, melodic punk rock, and post-hardcore resonates uniquely. I Like Alley also balance between calm and aggressive segments. Therefore, you won’t be bored by the repetitious formula emaluted by so many bands out there because this group has maneuvers of their own. Each composition burst with a decent dosage of power, but the band also knows when to settle down that power and transit into calmer waters. Therefore, if contemporary emo is something you dearly love, you should definitely check out Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking. The album comes on marbled white vinyl, and you can purchase it at Engineer Records, Paper + Plastick, No Reason Records, and General Soreness Records.