The Action Design

I’ve long been a fan of Tsunami Bomb, as I’ve stated here innumerable times in past columns, so I was admittedly a bit ready to say that frontwoman Emily Whitehurst and guitarist Matt McKenzie’s new project the Action Design wouldn’t hold a candle to their former band. And I was proven wrong very quickly. Though their early work was still much in the same vein as what I’d expect from Tsunami Bomb, every subsequent set of theirs I caught saw the band find a distinctive sound that pulled the fun energy that made Tsunami Bomb great and combined it with a slew of new musical influences. The band’s latest work, the album Never Say, is still as anthemic as ever, with Whitehurst’s distinctive yell, while exploring both her and her band’s softer, more dance-y sides. The band’s old work will always hold a special place in my heart as one of my early pop-punk discoveries, but the Action Design is quickly becoming a new favorite. - Brien Overly