Made In America - BEACH SLANG "Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken?" EP (2014)

It's not easy to define what an anthem is but you usually know one when you hear it. An anthem reaches down into the pit of your stomach by way of your ear holes, rips out your insides and exposes them for everyone to see. At that point you no longer care who's looking at you, you just belt out the lyrics at the top of your lungs to the point of exhaustion and pray for the song to go on forever.

A few names instantly come to mind when I think of bands that have, in my opinion, perfected the art of writing the anthem. The Replacements, The Gaslight Anthem, and Superchunk have all, at one time or another, gotten me to that point where I'm no longer just listening to the song, I'm now living inside of the song. Eye's closed, mouth open, fist's in the air living inside of the song. Philadelphia's Beach Slang has gotten me to that point with their new EP Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken?, out now on Dead Broke Rekerds.

The Philly three-piece is made up of guitarist James Snyder (Weston), drummer JP Flexner (Ex Friends), and bassist Ed McNulty (Crybaby). The four songs on Who Would Want Anything So Broken? were recorded last year but the band has for some reason been stingy with them until now. Why would you keep them from us? Why?

I expect we'll hear more greatness from Beach Slang in the near future. Now I just need to see them live, in Atlanta, hint hint. I know one thing, I had my list of summer songs already made until Beach Slang came along and took over the top four slots.