Lowlife [LP]

Limited pink colored vinyl LP pressing. According to frontman Chris McLelland, "every song [on Smartpunk Records debut Lowlife] sounds like Nominee, but we've added some new elements that we're really excited about as well." Nominee's already pushed against impossible odds, tackling bipolar disorder on 2017's Drag Me Out and addiction cycles on their 2014 debut. Their latest effort is a second wind in the boxing match against self and others with a reinvigorating coat of paint. Nominee's songs have grown larger and wilder. The smoky haze propelling "Save Myself" to the fantasy-grade storytelling on "Scavenger" feel just as natural as Nominee's most aggressive highlights. Even the most direct moments, like the bright pop rock blasts of "Interstellar," feel bolder and more pronounced, built more for stadium runs than sweat-lodge basements.