Album Review: All Better – How To Be Alone (Sugar-Free Records)

Formed in Brighton 2018, All Better’s blend of high energy punk riffs and infectious alt-rock/pop hooks have so far led them to tour the UK and mainland Europe a number of times, sharing the stage with scene favourites Remo Drive, As It Is, Roam, Spanish Love Songs and Pkew Pkew Pkew.

Releasing two extended plays to date, A Turn at Being Cool (2018) and How It All Worked Out (2019), the punk rock trio also released two new standalone singles ‘Jokers Song’ and ‘The Laughing Stock of Me’ in 2021.

Now they will release their debut full-length album ‘How to Be Alone’, set for release on the 6th May 2022 via Sugar-Free Records.

A bend of nostalgic pop-punk, feel-good bounce and pep, modern alt-rock and an honest take on the world, while not taking things too seriously. How to Be Alone is an album to make you smile as the trio blaze through a bunch of catchy foot-tappers. Taking subjects like loss, self-worth, heartache and the struggles of becoming an adult, and filtering them through a positive outlook.

An instantly familiar punk rock sound with Flutter, the initial worry that All Better are going to be more of a ‘throwback’ listen is banished as the album finds its feet with Wooden Boy and Lately. The latter in particular, is a blast of rocking riffs and catchy hooks.

With a bit more heart and emotion to the melody and vocals, Kicking and Screaming is a punchy listen. Before we get the fiery sound of Laughing Stock of Me, the punchy vibe of Instruction Manual and the stupendously memorable Dramatics. The halfway point of the album passed with smiles all round.

Those will still be plastered across faces as All Better keep the bounce and vigour front and centre with Hey Chaos. Followed by a simple and focused burst of melodrama with Please, a track that grows and grows as it goes on.

Into It and Hypocrisy are both lively bouts of punk rock that gets the body moving, before the finale of Scared has All Better go out with a bang. A finale that features everything that makes this album such a blast from beginning to end. The trio rocking and grooving with a ton of authenticity and punk-rock heart.

All Better – How to Be Alone Full Track Listing:

1. Flutter
2. Wooden Boy
3. Lately
4. Kicking And Screaming
5. Laughing Stock Of Me
6. Instruction Manual
7. Dramatics
8. Hey Chaos
9. Please
10. Into It
11. Hypocrisy
12. Scared

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