Merit Maker – Pick Ups and Put Downs (2023)
The last time we heard singer-songwriter Merit Maker, he was shouting his way into our eager ears with the five-track EP, Breaking Edge. Making his first appearance on The Other Side Reviews in 2021, Merit Maker is not completely unknown to us; however, he continues to astound us with each release…as he does many others. With features on international blogs, airtime on global radios and playlists, Merit Maker is garnering a global following. The latest addition to his discography is the album Pick Ups and Put Downs.
One element that I find particularly intriguing about Merit Maker is the timeframe of his releases. Since his debut album Judgement Calls, the US-based musician has shared only one album per year. Last year it was Breaking Edge and the year before it was Attitude Is Everything. This can demonstrate how he hones his music over the year before setting it loose on eager audiences. It can also showcase how he builds up people’s anticipation before giving us relief with one sophisticated album. Unfortunately, it also means we have to wait a whole year before enjoying anything new from Merit Maker; it’s worth the wait.
Building up the need for Merit Maker’s music over 2022, he dispels our anticipation with the ten-track album Pick Ups and Put Downs. I’ll admit as soon as I pressed the play button, I almost had a bit of a heart attack. An immediate pounding of Lukas JP’s drums and the crashing of Mitchell Layton’s guitar erupt with a forceful punch. Opening with ‘Right Here’, Merit Maker makes a robust stand from the first chord.
Brash and bold, Merit Maker hits audiences with hard-hitting pop-punk from the opening ‘Right Here’ to the closing ‘Over and Out’. Reminiscent of bands like Sum 41, a pop flavour runs through the powerful punk stylings in each of the tracks. Interestingly, while albums tend to have the one “bring down” song to give you a bit of relief – Merit Maker isn’t really that accommodating. This is by no means a bad thing as it merely pushes the brutal honesty of the theme.
It isn’t easy to find a favourite in Pick Ups and Put Downs with each track taking another step through life’s journey. From self-discovery in ‘Look Back’ to temper tantrums in ‘Sparks Ignite’ and the insertion of raw punk in ‘Mixed Messages’, Merit Maker expresses every emotion in a pop-punk-filled album. Although, if I had to choose a favourite amidst the insanity of crashing drums, scorching guitars and Merit Maker’s insatiable vocals, it would be ‘Falling Out’ with a slightly smoother flow but still as foot-stomping as the others.
Tipping his hat at all types of punk ranging from the Sex Pistols to Sum 41, Merit Maker has a modern-day feel to his music with nostalgic flair. Listening to Pick Ups and Put Downs is like sitting down to dinner with Sum 41, The Offspring and Good Charlotte. Capturing the essence of pop-punk, skater punk and pop-rock at its pinnacle, Merit Maker creates a bubble of hard-hitting, high-powered, jovial ferocity in his new material. So, pass the ketchup Deryk Whibley because we’ve got a lot to enjoy.
For more from Merit Maker, check out his Bandcamp and Spotify.
