Like many bands, The Bouncing Souls found themselves at a bit of a loose end at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stuck at home and unable to continue touring, they turned to online fan-communities, and began to work on new material in an exciting new way: connecting with fans via Zoom, hearing their stories, and drawing on these in their song-writing process. The result is Ten Stories High, a 10-track album simmering with energy, excitement, and the Bouncing SoulsÔÇÖ characteristic pogo-punk sound. For fans of nineties American punk, this record will feel delightfully nostalgic. The Bouncing Souls have stayed intact and true to their original ethos, combining deeply human story-telling with their iconic skate punk energy. Drawing their lyrical content from fans has certainly helped this sense of nostalgia ÔÇô the song ÔÇÿAndy and JackieÔÇÖ, for example, depicts the journey of a relationship in a local punk scene, while ÔÇÿVin and CaseyÔÇÖ is a heartfelt elegy to lost friends. The record doesnÔÇÖt shy away from darker themes, but, even after the hardship of the last few years, it never loses the pervasive sense of hope, which is
something that feels conspicuously absent in a lot of punk music at the moment. Take Ten Stories High,
then, as a refreshing antidote to the stresses of the world right now; a demand for persistent joy in a
difficult year.
Words by Polly Brewster
