Nashville rockers Winona Fighter are rapidly making their name known in the scene with their upbeat and widely accessible brand of Punk. Combining catchy melodies with rollicking guitars, the trio have proven their collective musicianship with their debut album, My Apologies To The Chef (Rise Records). At a whopping fourteen tracks, it is clear the group put their all into making a strong impression that includes both quality and quantity. 

The album throws out some nostalgia right away, starting off with the sound of guitars being plugged in on “Jumpercables.” Vocalist Coco Kinnon comes in strong, immediately showing the personality in her voice through effortless yet powerful belts. “Hamms In A Glass” stands out with its captivating harmonies and cheeky vocal performance leading into the scorching guitar solo. Following track “Talk” also wields some melodic shreds while “Swimmer’s Ear” provides a more laid back tone before returning to the quirky angst. 

Like most Pop Punk bands, Winona Fighter turns heavy emotions into high-spirited anthems. However, although they come off as fun and lighthearted, it is readily apparent when their tone switches to something more serious. The blatant anger exuded from “Wlbrn St Tvrn” hits like a slap in the face, and its spoken word bridge encourages its listeners to do the same with the lyrics “This is for the diehards who wanna blow out their lungs and burn this place to the ground. I have three words for you: somebody hit somebody!” “R U Famous” has a similar spoken word rant, denouncing the hypocritical and insincere ways people treat famous people. 

“Don’t Wallow” ends the album with a slower tempo and some gang vocal chants. The melodies feel bittersweet, as if the band has made peace with the eccentric rage they were expressing on the many preceding tracks. The hook is an immediate earworm, flawlessly written for a sentimental sing-along. 

If you have never heard Winona Fighter before, you will surely know who they are after giving My Apologies To The Chef a listen. For a debut album, these guys seem to already have themselves figured out as much as some bands who have been around for a decade. They know exactly what they want to say, and exactly the most effective way to express it through their music while letting their personalities shine.

Buy the album here:
https://winonafighter.lnk.to/MyApologiesToTheChef

8 / 10
COLLEEN KANOWSKY
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