Reviewed by Paul Ewbank

The punchy, positive pop punk of Stoke-on-Trent's Peter118 has already earned the young band an international following, and it's easy to see why on their second EP 'Need You More'. Their style sticks firmly to the kind of chunky guitar chords and sugary pop vocals of The Subways and The Hives, but the clever interplay between male and female vocals and some tasty lead guitar licks keeps them from sounding too predictable. "Need You More" rocks with an effortless style thanks to the slick melodies, powerful guitars and Lisa Cox's super cool guest vocals. Frontman Peter Field's punk-inspired sing-shouting brings a more urgent, driving feel to "Everything About Me", and the muscular guitar riff makes for a stellar rock anthem. The sound quality is amazing for a fledgling punk band - the guitars buzz and crunch brilliantly and the bouncy, melodic bass cuts right through the mix. Musically speaking there's nothing particularly complex on display here- this is punk after all- but lines like "Play some punk rock just like the rest! Three chords! Two Chords! One Chord!" on "Where I Am" at least shows a level of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness. "Make Up My Mind" mixes things up by pairing Field's coarse vocals with the angelic singing of bassist Janine Read over a simple acoustic backing. Clocking in at under 15 minutes, 'Need You More' is a tight, energetic pop-punk album from a talented band who are yet to put a foot wrong.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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