Pop punk bands without bass are rare. But when it’s done well, as is the case with London indie-punks Doe, it’s a unique balance of tonal energy, incorporating enough low-end rhythm guitar to bolster the sound of trebly leads. The trio (two guitarists and a drummer) released their debut LP titled First Four last fall in the UK, and now it’s set for a US release next month via Old Flame. The record alternates from throbbing, in-your-face riffs to catchy pop licks, all penetrated by powerful vocal harmonies. The fourth song, titled “Oh, Nostalgia,” starts with a grungy start-and-stop melody, later flowing into a pleasantly furious chorus. Front lady Nicola Leel’s voice moves candidly from quiet and subdued to angry and boisterous, never lacking in tone, and never afraid. The shift in energy from the chorus to the verse isn’t jarring or dissonant, but rather emphatic and solid. The stream is below.
