Just before the pandemic, members of Totorro had teased they were at least in talks about doing something. Things were moving pretty fast back then, and at the time, the lost opportunity, if one could call it that, just felt like another casualty of the ensuing global chaos. Of course, it turned out that they had indeed been working on something – an OST for a French anime.
Fans of the band that checked it out were actually pleasantly surprised to find that indeed, their sounds for Fabcaro’s Et si l’amour c’était aimer still resounded with math rock, albeit reshaped and contextualized for the animated setting (check it out here if haven’t). It was also a really interesting departure, and somehow today we’re experiencing similar revelations with Do It Later, the band featuring members of Totorro, Mermonte, and Burst One’s Side, which functions as an outlet for the their collective love for pop-punk and massive late 90’s radio jams.
Don’t let the breezy inspirations fool you, Do It Later is worth checking out immediately and you can do it now with their new album Feeling Spent. It’s a perfect jaunt for the weekend.
Reflections of millennial pop-punk do abound, most notably things like Hot Water Music, Blink-182, and Audio Karate, but being who they are they also can’t help but put a little Delta Sleep and Gulfer in the mix as well. It’s a formidable combo, and whatever it lacks in originality is made up for ten times over in terms of quality and genuine delivery.
Here’s part of the press release from Parapente Records:
Driven by a unique alchemy between 90s Californian punk rock and the melodic escapades of math rock, the debut album crafted by this joyful crew is a marvel of innocence, sunshine, and beautiful guitars, infused with the pop-punk melodies of American bands from the 90s.
The Breton quintet brings together familiar figures from the alternative scene: Jonathan Siche, Bertrand James, and Christophe Le Flohic from Totorro, Ghislain Fracapane from Mermonte, and Gaétan Heuzé from Burst One’s Side. Together, they blend their influences—ranging from Blink-182 to The Story So Far, and even the Burning Heads—and transcend them. Three guitars and a bass engage in a back-and-forth between catchy hooks and complex textures, all carried by explosive yet precise drumming.
After “Future Me,” a whirlwind and straightforward debut EP caught between adolescence and experience, Do It Later delivers “Feeling Spent,” marking their entry into the age of burgeoning responsibilities. This album rings out like an anthem for overwhelmed thirtysomethings, juggling parenting, obligations, hangovers, and the constant sense of being out of sync.
Who knows if we’ll ever get a spiritual sequel to Come to Mexico, but honestly at this point we’ve made our peace when the members of Totorro continue to impress.