Album Review: Waterparks - 'Intellectual Property'
‘Intellectual Property’, the fifth studio album from once pop-punk, now pop-rock-electronic-punk (and pretty much every other genre) outfit Waterparks, is a hell of a ride, full of twists, turns, and an intense brilliance bordering on insanity.
It feels bizarre that Awsten Knight, Otto Wood and Geoff Wigington’s debut album, ‘Double Dare’, only came out in 2017. Given how prevalent the band have been, particularly over in the UK, it feels like they’ve been part of the pop-punk consciousness - for better or worse - for forever. And yet, despite only being around in that respect for seven years, they’ve managed to release four more incredibly and inherently different albums since then; this one, ‘Intellectual Property’, is no different.
But let’s go back a little first. 2021 saw the release of Waterparks’ ‘Greatest Hits’ - less a compilation of auditory champions, more an unearned confidence in their new release. However, it didn’t take long for them to (arguably) be proven right; strings of five star reviews and sold out headline shows followed the album, and deservedly so -l given the album goes from strength to strength. It also proved a little less divisive for fans and critics alike, while also seeming to open the door for what was to come.
Enter, Intellectual Property.
‘I don’t wanna be toxic’, Awsten cries; ‘I just wanna be honest’. One of the first lines you hear on the album, clocking in early in opener ‘ST*RFUCKER’, this line sets the tone for the album — or, at least, one of the tones. Honesty pervades the album, sure, but don’t worry; this isn’t just stripped, vulnerable, introspective. It’s a hell of a lot of fun besides. Serving as the lighter, loftier and hopefully-more-lauded reflection to its darker predecessor, it’s a departure from what’s come before. And not just from the other albums - each song itself is its own little thing in this 30 minute masterclass of mainstream eccentricity. You’ve got the angst - the recent You Me at Six support slot show closer ‘REAL SUPER DARK’, resentful muttering and cathartic shouting blending over the industrial-feeling drumbeat, or the fantastic ‘RITUAL’, leaning a little towards the heavier side, with screams hidden behind the anxiety-inducing drumbeat, and yet still featuring some nu-metal mumble rap — and an elephant trumpet?? You’ve got the saccharine explosions — as long as you don’t listen to the lyrics — in the almost offensively upbeat ‘2 BEST FRIENDS’ or short, meta-comedic opener ‘ST*RFUCKER’. ‘END OF THE WATER (FEEL)’ could be lifted in its entirety from a 1975 record, as much as that might hurt to say, with light electronic flourishes under falsetto vocals and a cinematic glaze of pop sensibilities. ‘FUNERAL GREY’, the first single released back in May 2022, and featuring a toy guitar in the main chorus, is two and a half minutes of bright, bubbly, and buoyant fun, while the blackbear-featuring ‘FUCK ABOUT IT’ seems to take some cues from the stratospheric success of fellow pop-punk graduates All Time Low’s ‘Monsters’, hiding its edges behind ear worms and high energy choruses. There’s also a beautiful guitar-led ballad in ‘Closer’, about the heartbreak, hope, and general wholesomeness of love — being in love, falling in and out of love, and constantly fighting for it, wherever it takes you. Non-stop hyper pop productivity gives way to hedonistic chaos, with a scattering of telephone excerpts, before a final line gets uttered and fades into static: ‘This is Waterparks.’
And it is. It’s undeniably Waterparks. Ultimately, you just can’t deny the album’s appeal. The album has everything — the fun, the frantic, the furious. And, although being a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ can sometimes be a double edged sword — a few of the poppier pop punk patrons may be put off by the heavier numbers, a few of the more bubblegum sweet pieces might cause some scoffs from the angstier end of the fan base — it’s still a fantastic album with something for everyone to love. It also serves as the precursor to a string of UK headline shows in the autumn, supported by Stand Atlantic, including playing the iconic Camden Roundhouse.
Catch Waterparks with special guests Stand Atlantic in the UK in October and November:
October 31 London Roundhouse
November 1 Sheffield O2 Academy
November 3 Cardiff Great Hall
November 22 Glasgow Barrowlands
November 23 Birmingham O2 Academy
Words by James O’Sullivan
