summerlin

Summerlin are a Leeds, Yorkshire-based British pop-punk quartet formed in late 2008. The group begins as members of different Yorkshire bands look for a new musical direction, drawing on classic pop-punk such as Blink-182, New Found Glory and the Offspring while also bringing in harder-edged influences. Their early line-up changes lead to a reconfiguration as a four-piece, and the band remains active in that form in the account given.

Early releases and live activity

By summer 2009, Summerlin release the EP So Make Your Move. The band tours in the UK and Europe in its early years, and appears at the 2011 Slam Dunk Festival alongside acts including Less Than Jake, The Starting Line, Goldfinger, Anti-Flag and Set Your Goals.

Debut album

The group’s debut full-length, You Can’t Burn Out If You’re Not On Fire, is presented as a record about responsibility, self-discovery and persistence in the face of work, pressure and frustration. Its songs combine pop-punk with post-hardcore elements, using melodic hooks, breakdowns and harmonised guitar parts. Opening track “Let It Go” deals with alienation, depression and the desire to escape negativity, while “Sink Or Swim” focuses on the decision to commit fully to music rather than treat it as a side pursuit.

Production and personnel

Drew Lawson, the singer and guitarist, takes on a key DIY production role, recording the band’s demos and self-producing the debut album. The band tracks the record in a Yorkshire council house. Pelle Henricsson, known for work with Refused, Entombed and In Flames, mixes and masters the finished material at Tonteknik studio in Umeå, Sweden. Roo Buxton is the guitarist, and Benjamin Jackson plays bass.

Approach

Summerlin describe themselves as determined to make music on their own terms rather than follow trends. Their material centres on the tension between aspiration and daily routine, and the band’s lyrics and production both reflect a preference for directness, rawness and melody.