Sitting on a frameless bed mattress in his Toronto apartment, frontman Chris James penned “Downtown Livin’”, the latest single from Pink Leather Jackets. And from that vantage point, inches from the ground, it’s easy to see the bleakness.
“Downtown livin’ is way too hard,” Chris sings before listing off the everyday bad luck that piles up. From the weather to his mom’s needed hip replacement, Pink Leather Jackets piles on the bitter.
The racing punk rhythms from Steve Colucci’s guitarist and Jordan Zagerman’s drums contrast with the almost mundane emo nihilism of the lyrics. Stepping away from punk’s tropes of railing against the system, they rail against an individual’s problems. It’s still a banger, but a relatable banger.
As Nathan and Steve Colucci add tight vocal harmonies to Chris’s melody, they bring a welcome complexity to the catchy chorus. But they don’t stray too far from some classic elements: the noisy outro screams punk, and the bouncing bass pulls hard alt-rock vibes. But “Downtown Livin’” is its own blend of amusing, rocking sounds.
Stream “Downtown Livin’” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
