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Nothing But Love on CD

Combining the brevity of a typical Joyce Manor record with the unabashed personality of Reel Big Fish, Pleasanton, CA octet Just Friends falls somewhere between pop punk and ska without pledging full allegiance to either genre. Nothing But Love follows-up 2015's Rock 2 The Rhythm and is propelled by big, brassy horn interludes, guitar melodies with pop punk sensibilities and Sam Kless' raspy, passionate vocals. Funky and energetic, there simply is nobody else out there doing what Just Friends are doing. "Nothing But Love is so musically diverse that it's difficult to pin it down to one, singular genre. "Keep Up" is a great example of this, opening with a head-bopping guitar riff and then seamlessly transitioning into a '70s funk break that calls to the work of Isaac Hayes, then once again modulating to an abrasive, unabashedly hard breakdown. Or take "Get Down," a guitar-driven hip-hop song with an infectious hook and easy lyrics to sing along with... Songs like "Bang My Line II" and "Faucet" give way for the horns to shine and let the guitar step back from the spotlight. The size of the horn section adds a depth to the music that is typically not found in alternative genres, outside of ska" (Get Alternative).