The debut extended play (EP) of Hasta Verano titled “Until Summer” is an example of how a young band can showcase decent beginnings and leaves a lot of room for them to grow. It is beautifully produced with very minimal engineering errors and is very pleasing to listen to. The band recorded the tracks at The Sonic Factory Recording Studio, located near Drake University, on a budget of $1,500 split amongst the five members of the band. It has a fast-paced intensity while also maintaining a smooth groove. It features four songs that have some similarities, but mainly differ from each other as the band said in their Spotify bio  “No two members have the same music taste with each other.” The EP runs at a solid 14 minutes and 19 seconds, which is outstanding for a four track release.

Track 1 – Without You – 3.5/5

The opening track kicks off  the EP with high energy and intensity. It showcases fast-paced rock and pop punk-styled drumming. The guitar work is musical, while being simplistic at the same time. The song follows the pixies format many bands such as “Nirvana” have used before, loud to quiet to loud to quiet to loud. The bass guitar is a typical cop of the guitars root melody. The song does not feature a solo, which I personally think was good decision because of the vocal work. It is apparent this song is vocal heavy. The lyrics depict a strong love for an individual with lyrics such as “Without you, I am lost.” The vocalist, Ryan Harrison, stays in the lower key, which in some parts such as the choruses I believe should have been higher to really emphasize the passion the rest of the band portrays. Overall, it is a solid performance from the band.

Track 2 – Until Summer – 2/5

My least favorite track on the EP is the title track “Until Summer.” It is not a particularly bad song, it’s just the song I skip. It has a nice swing jazz vibe to it, which just does not resonate well with me. The chorus are nice when compared to the verses, but still does not leave anything to be desired. It just feels dead, and with some nice melodies it could have been a much better track. 2/5

Track 3 – Nostalgia – 3/5

This really brings back old-school memories. With a Van Halen inspired riff at the beginning, and Mike Dirnt (Green Day) style guitar melody, the song has a bang. This song floats and flows smoothly. Some lead melodies leave the listener wanting more, which is why this song rated lower. The chorus is very cliché and seems to drag out and gives me an uneasy feel. There is a mini guitar solo at about the three-minute mark that left me with a feeling of “more, give me more!” Overall, the song left me feeling empty.

Track 4 – EVE – 3.5/5

I really enjoyed this song. It was the song with the most fill in it. The backing guitar could have been much louder to compliment the lead but it was not horribly bad. Great drums, good vocal melody, decent guitar work. Definitely a song I could hear on some college kids’ radio in the 2000’s.

Overall Grade – 12/20 – 60% – Passing Grade

After first listen the songs are catchy. Once you listen to them enough they begin to show their true colors. This EP is in no way “bad”, it’s just very predictable and feels rushed. The vocals lack range. The riffs are catchy, but dragged out.

Do I recommend this EP? Of course, I can see potential in these kids. They just need to figure it all out.

Would I listen again? Probably not, after hours upon hours of listening, it is not for me.