Good Hangs: Anthem Emo Pt. 1

Good Hangs delivers a prime example of modern pop punk that manages to sound (relatively) unique while still drowning itself in nostalgia. Anthem Emo Pt. 1 is exactly what it says on the label. It is a fun, highly concentrated blast of an music dedicated to honoring the titans of the genre that came before them.

The title track, Anthem Emo, immediately sets the stage for this blink and you will miss it EP. It is a wildly catchy, name dropping reflection on the early 2000s emo scene. It immediately lets you know exactly what kind of ride you are strapping in for.

Deadbeat plays with tempo dynamics nicely, but it also leans way too heavily into the autotune. It still manages to deliver massive, sweeping hooks and a highly infectious chorus. It is a perfect example of what Good Hangs is capable of structurally, but it would have landed so much harder if they just stripped off the studio gloss and left the vocals raw. That's a crit of the band in general though.

Bar Fight continues this exact same formula. The tempo and pitch constantly fluctuate up and down before ultimately exploding into an epic, sing along chorus. It is just a fundamentally fun and incredibly catchy pop punk anthem.

The highlight of the EP is This Too Shall Pass. It is an excellent, coming of age reflection track that completely abandons the standard formula they lean on so much on all other tracks. Instead of rushing to the hook, it starts slow and methodically builds until the chorus, and absolutely soars. It is the least traditional verse chorus verse track on the project, relying heavily on extra refrains and varied verse structures. I would love to see the band explore this kind of songwriting variety much more in the future.

Then you have Knock on Wood, which, to me, mimics the tempo, beat, and vocal cadence of We Didn't Start the Fire. It is a fast paced, highly enjoyable banger, but it does highlight the EP's biggest flaw. By the end of the runtime, the tracks start to bleed together. You get the exact same deadbeat lyrical themes and the exact same vocal dynamics of slow, low verses exploding into high pitched choruses.

Overall, Anthem Emo Pt. 1 is a repetatuve blast. It might lack the tovariety required to be considered a perfect effort, but it is incredibly fun, undeniably catchy, and firmly secures its place as one of the standout indie punk releases of 2026.