NOAHFINNCE - GROWING UP ON THE INTERNET
Credit: Corinne Cumming
NOAHFINNCE, originally known as Noah Adams, born and raised in Ascot, England, draws significant inspiration from iconic bands like Blink-182 and Green Day; with his infectious energy and raw passion, he’s captured the hearts of music enthusiasts, gained a rapidly expanding fanbase, and garnered widespread critical acclaim.
As he continues to make waves in the pop-punk scene, NOAHFINNCE solidifies his position as a promising, rising star in the global music industry and remains recognised for his soulful, candid music. With a growing number of dedicated fans, the indie meets alt-rock singer-songwriter has been captivating audiences with his compelling singles, and his debut album, Growing Up on The Internet, continues that.
Opening with deep guitars, ‘KINDA LOVE IT’ kicks the album off in great fashion before going into a powerful chorus paired with synths, heavier guitars, and Adams’ voice to create a high energy track that demands the opening slot on future setlists. Following on, the title track, ‘GROWING UP ON THE INTERNET’, shares a few nods to the nostalgic feeling of using the internet in the earlier years and shares the same high energy as ‘KINDA LOVE IT’. The track, which showcases the downsides of our generation having grown up with access to the internet, also touches on how such experiences have shaped us into the people we are today despite also referring to wanting to return to simpler times. With it’s fuzzy electric guitars and driving drums, the song makes for a perfect anger-filled anthem that calls for the lyrics to be screamed at the top of your lungs without hesitation.
Not only is this record as a whole loud, it’s loud because it has a message and it’s confident in that. The anti-TERF track ‘SCUMBAG’ shares the thoughts and feelings of someone claiming they’re supportive of you and your life while at the same time, sharing their disapproval and issues behind your back. With people like this, it’s easy to tell who they are, something that Adams makes known within the lyrics, and he isn’t here for so called friends who want to treat him that way. “Check yourself before I bite back / Your integrity is like a needle in a haystack,” he sings. “Wreck yourself just for a call back / You’re just a scumbag.”
Keeping the same theme of feeling like an outsider, ‘GIBBERISH’ starts off slower than the rest of the record. It’s lyrics shout about being somewhere you don’t belong, especially in the chorus as Adams proclaims: “it's my mind that i'm having to fight with / a party that i wasn't invited to.” The track, focusing on the anxiety that comes with not being wanted, also touches on influencer culture, something that Adams has spoken about in an interview with Kerrang! where he stated that he doesn’t let such views bother him. This statement, paired with this song, brings the record full circle as he hits home on the importance of being unapologetically yourself no matter what. This world is ever-changing and NOAHFINNCE is here to remind you that you don’t need to change with it in order to fit in.
Overall, GROWING UP ON THE INTERNET showcases the reality of exactly what the album title states alongside the many issues and hate members of the LGBTQ+ community face. It’s a perfect summary of everything NOAHFINNCE and a Gen Z generation represents, wrapped up in edgy pop-punk production for all to enjoy. From thumping electro-rock tracks such as ‘SCUMBAG’ and ‘I KNOW BETTER’ to the punk-infused ‘LOVELY LADIES’, Adams has left no page unturned and with this record, making it one that people can find some kind of solace in and further cement himself as one of music’s most important new voices.
Niki Davidson
★★★★★