DS Exclusive: Listen to the new Wes Hoffman and Friends album “How it Should Be” a day early!
In case you haven’t already been introduced, Wes Hoffman and Friends is a Midwest pop-punk band based out of St. Louis, MO. These dudes have been around since 2017, but things really took off for them during the pandemic, when Wes began writing the debut EP Rewrite the Story. Now they’re coming back for more with their first full-length album How it Should Be, which comes out tomorrow, February 23rd on Jump Start Records.
Good news! You don’t have to wait another second to listen to this awesome album. That’s right, your pals at Dying Scene and Punk Rock Radar are teaming up to bring you this exclusive premiere a day early! That’s a whole 24 hours! Check this shit out and pre-order the record while you’re at it:
Here’s what frontman Wes Hoffman had to say about the band’s debut album How It Should Be:
Writing and recording for this album began in the summer of 2021. The whole album spans a spectrum of emotions for me, as I was going through a multitude of changes (a relationship ending, career changes, personal growth, reflecting on the past, and a new relationship beginning). It was very cathartic to write these songs during that time.
Stylistically, I also wanted to explore a range of sounds. From the blast off of the opening track, “Where Summer Never Ends,” to the slower, softer “Next Year,” and then the skate punk-esque “A Minute to Breathe.” I wanted multiple influences to be represented while still keeping it cohesive.
We recorded this album in our hometown of St. Louis, with Gabe Usery, but we’ve shared these songs all across America and Canada. I’m so excited to share them with the world. I hope there’s something for everyone to connect with on this album, whatever stage in life they’re in at the moment.
To stay up to date on all things Wes Hoffman and Friends have coming up, be sure to follow them on Instagram. And once again, don’t forget to grab a copy of this awesome record from Jump Start Records! They’ve got some beautiful color variants available on their webstore.
