Review WES HOFFMAN & FRIENDS “For the Better”

Wes Hoffman is a guitarist and vocalist from St. Louis who formed Wes Hoffman & Friends in 2017. The band released its first EP, Rewrite the Story, in 2022, and now returns with its second full-length effort, For the Better.

Ten tracks and around 36 minutes of upbeat punk rock are packed into the album. Four songs have already been released as advance singles, giving listeners a taste of what was coming. The energetic opener, “Hold Me Back,” is one of them, immediately putting the band’s punk rock roots front and center. It’s a smart choice to kick things off, as the track comes charging out of the gate and pulls you in right away.

That positive energy carries through the entire record. Wes Hoffman & Friends strike a nice balance between the raw, slightly anarchic spirit of punk and melodies that occasionally edge toward pop territory. For the Better never turns into lightweight background music, though. Tracks such as “Break My Fall” keep things loud and punchy, adding enough grit to balance the melodic side.

With “Promises,” the emphasis shifts more toward rock than punk. “Out of My Head” brings the punk element back into sharper focus, before the band tunes into a different frequency with “Radio.” The songs on For the Better are easy to get into because they manage to be catchy without losing their bite. There’s a natural feel-good quality running through the record, and keeping still while listening is easier said than done.

“The Way It Was” adds a ballad to the mix, showing that the band is willing to step outside its usual formula. The album then closes with “Meet Me in Memphis,” another punk rock anthem that sends things off on an upbeat note.

For the Better is simply a good punk rock record. Wes Hoffman & Friends operate somewhere between skate punk and melodic punk, combining driving guitars with strong melodies and a healthy dose of energy. The result never feels generic or dull. Instead, the band delivers a lively, melodic album that makes for an enjoyable listen from start to finish..