Probably Not - The Same Pain

I’m definitely not a lover of the screamo and punk genre, but I decided that it was only fair of me to give Probably Not’s The Same Pain an honest listen. Generally, I must admit I can appreciate the musicality of all genres.

While I couldn’t identify with the vocal talents of Alex Hall, I did find myself enjoying the instrumental components of the EP. Probably Not display unique talents on this EP; they manage to create a diverse listening experience. The listen is rife with ups and downs. Tracks such as Intermittent Lighting for One Mile begin with a brisk pace by mixing short riffs with a basic beat. The song reveals more depth as they incorporate aggressive tones into the song and introduce Alex’s vocals. The track then patters off into a similar a more cryptic mood with the bass and drums complementing the guitarist. Each song ends rather abruptly, which is unfortunate because the melodies orchestrated could very well be hits.

As odd as it may seem, The Same Pain became somewhat of an easy listening experience. I was relaxed by the arrangement every time I listened to the EP, especially on Clear Your Head. I started to take in the essence of the sound, and I began to feel relaxed. I had never been able to feel calm when listening to screamo in the past. I let go of everything and focused only on what was right in front of me. I attribute this to the slow rhythmic strums and beats. A song that I had originally considered boring now had varying layers.

I noticed that most tracks shared this two-tone combination. The artist would either lull you into a relaxation, or kick you into a more adrenaline pumped vibe. The best way to describe the sound is abrupt. It’s clear they have nothing to prove, and the band aren’t really trying to fit a specific mold. With this mindset, there is no ceiling to the creative possibilities. That being said, the album is definitely worth a listen.