For those who love lyrics about finding beauty in the mundane, moody music underlying a sea of emotions, and production that wasn’t sterilized or scientifically tested in a lab: this is your record.

Too raw to be sleaze rock and too present and concise to be noise rock, Washington’s Enumclaw have carved out a distinct sound from a slew of influences including punk, underground alt rock, and vintage indie. Beginning with a wave of wiry feedback that crashes into an explosive intro, Home in Another Life hooked me in immediately.

“I’m Scared I’ll End Up Alone” sets the pace for the record. Enumclaw’s sophomore entry doubles down on catchy songs while tripling the energy and the dynamics of their debut. The vocals on this album stole the show for me. Not only does the singing come off confident, but putting the vocals in the forefront of the mix this time around was the perfect choice for this batch of songs. Every ounce of grit and rasp in Aramis Johnson’s voice cut the more-than-intimate lyrics just a bit deeper into your heart. They sting in the best way possible.

Capturing the frustration, apathy, and disappointment of daily living without giving into vagueness, Enumclaw’s imagery is vivid, but like all great art, isn’t always comfortable.

“Haven’t Seen The Family In A While, I’m Sorry” is a somber anthem fit to usher in your autumn wardrobe and wonder where the hell the year has gone. Painting a landscape between the things said and unsaid, the lyric “Sometimes things get away from me” hits right to the core. It hurts. Maybe because it’s so relatable.

As much of a rocker as this record is, it isn’t all crash cymbals and distortion pedals. They clearly own a chorus pedal too. “Sink” and “Change” especially show off the group’s sweet side. These aren’t ballads by any means, but they give off the same sentiment that I imagine a teacher might feel when their troublemaker student says, “I guess that poem where the guy hides the heart in the floorboards didn’t completely suck.”

Both the most delicate and the grungiest moments of the album are found in the grand finale, “This Light of Mine.” It’s gentle, full of regret, and it ends the record on the angstiest high note possible.

Okay, technically it doesn’t end the record. “I Want Somethings For Myself" closes the album, but it genuinely sounds like a demo made on a tape recorder placed halfway across the room. At first glance, it might seem like an odd choice, but it’s a beautiful nostalgic tone reminiscent of hidden tracks on 90’s CDs.

Every element of this album blends perfectly. The guitars complement each other, the vocals are crisp and dry, the drums punch without feeling like an overproduced sample, and the bass sits in the mix perfectly.

Bonus points for bassist Eli Edwards’ use of distortion. Any one of these songs have a heavier bass than any Nirvana song, yet even on the softer tunes, it fits. It’s paradoxical, yet enjoyable. Like Dippin’ Dots. I refuse to elaborate on that further.

Regardless, Producer Ben Zaidi deserves a pat on the back for helping the band sound so full while also capturing the effortless magic of the group playing together.

In an industry where bands’ second albums are typically considered their weakest, Enumclaw has made a record considerably stronger than their already great debut. This is a group that has had the eyes of the entire Pacific Northwest rock scene on them, and they were incapable of crumbling under the pressure. For those who love lyrics about finding beauty in the mundane, moody music underlying a sea of emotions, and production that wasn’t sterilized or scientifically tested in a lab: this is your record.

Make sure to follow Enumclaw on Instagram and stream “Change” below.