Review: Oakrest Delves into Relationships with Summer Sun

Toronto based pop-rock band Oakrest released their debut album Summer Sun on July 8th. Ahead of the release the band shared the singles “Shed My Skin” and “Olivia“. Band members Jacob Szabo (Vocals), Jacob Graves (Rhythm Guitar), Michael Van (Lead Guitar), and Chris Zoubaniotis (Drums) mix pop-rock and pop-punk to achieve their sound.

Speaking of the new album, Szabo shares “Summer Sun to me personally is some of our best work. We felt as a whole that we couldn’t just put out another EP and needed to tell a bigger story with an LP. This record revolves around the theme of relationships whether it’s between your partner, your friends, or yourself.”

Summer Sun starts off with “Olivia” which is the album’s strongest song. It’s a catchy pop-punk song drawing inspiration from songs like “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne. The subject is about that big crush and the ensuing high that one feels.

“I hope this single helps listeners take that next step to tell their crushes how they really feel,” shares vocalist Jacob Szabo. “I also hope this single gets listeners dancing like no one’s watching.”

Summer Sun is dominated by distorted electric guitars but midway through the album the band unplugs and pulls out the acoustic guitars for “Take It Slow“. It features up-tempo strumming and continues the album’s relationship theme. Szabo sings about the struggles in a relationship and taking it slow.

This album explores different stages of relationships. “Olivia” was about the future, longing for a desired relationship while “Take It Slow” was about the struggles of a current one. “Shed My Skin” closes out the album strong by looking to the past and discusses letting go of bad memories and moving on.

Summer Sun is a strong debut by Oakrest. It’s a mostly up-tempo album featuring pop-punk guitars serving as backing for Szabo as he sings about relationship issues that most everyone has experienced. It is available for streaming now at:

Apple Music
Spotify

Summer Sun Tracklist:

1. Olivia
2. Nothing Serious
3. Love For One Day
4. When One Door Closes
5. It’s Something You Do
6. Take It Slow
7. Let’s Go
8. Summer Sun
9. Final Words
10. Shed My Skin

Follow Oakrest:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakrestband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakrestband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oakrestofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN0qAabMSCcM27dVXN9zMIg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oakrestband

Post by Scott Raymer (Website | Instagram | Facebook)

Comment below.