Hailing from the suburbs of Atlanta Georgia, the Balkans are lifelong friends with roots starting in elementary school. When the boys came of age and discovered the city, the four fresh-faced teens won the hearts of Atlanta performing with a combination of youthful-frantic energy and musical precision in clubs that they otherwise would have been too young for. Quickly becoming a sensation, they released several 7″ singles through local labels. The singles showed off a palette of influences. The first features an instrumental punk jam with a B-side that swan dives into a dreary, atmospheric round of shoe-gazer fog. The next release showed the group drifting toward a fiery, precise rock terrain with developing elements of surf rock charging into obtuse, art-driven angles that transcend the kerrrang of ’60s surf. These releases won a variety of critical acclaim one of which was rated the Top Atlanta Release of 2009 alongside a critic vote of Best New Music act for the same year . As the Balkans matured, their own distinctive sound developed; fast precise guitar with a tight reserved rhythm and immediate vocals that cut through the noise. A pop/punk grind that waivers between bouts of sincerity and catharsis.
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The Balkans debut LP is not a punk record, nor is it a pop record. The opening track "Edita V" is a good representation of whats to come later in the album. Dark, yet catchy pop songs, but something’s different, something’s off. Another stand out track "Flowers Everywhere" gives off a melancholy nostalgic vibe. The melody floats along effortlessly. The instrumentation throughout the album is strangely tense but when the band gets to the release, it’s all worth it. This is the outcome of over 3 years of the young band writing many, many songs. The final product is their ten best most straight-forward, energetic, and frantic pop songs. This is a no-nonsense LP, with each song being able to stand alone as its own single. Beatlesque guitar hooks on fast-forward are everywhere. It’s an energetic punk-grind that waivers between bouts of sincerity and catharsis, yet it is also heartfelt at times. Each song seems to be rooted in the bad experiences of young adult romance, evoking memories of teenage lust and heartbreak, the kind of heartbreak that makes you want to punch your mirror and play the guitar with extreme force. It’s Rock n’ Roll.
