Why West Friends Just Dropped One Of The Most Explosive And Emotionally Charged Pop Punk Tracks With “It Is What It Is”
- STAFF
- 29 minutes ago
- 5 min read
By: Staff
An electrifying, deep, and explosive anthem from West Friends that redefines heavy pop punk with fearless intensity.
West Friends is back, and this time they return with a deeper, heavier message. The impact comes not only lyrically, but musically, and they’re bringing it with vengeance. Their latest release, “It Is What It Is,” feels like a defining moment. It’s a heavyweight track that shows just how close they are to blowing up completely.
“It Is What It Is” kicks off with an electric guitar and bass interplay that immediately hits. It starts high and never dips. The metronome-style rhythm layered with a muted guitar gives the intro this tense, pulsing suspense. Then it explodes into a thundering beat that feels both deliberate and chaotic. What really caught us, what truly made us stop and lean in, was how early the creativity starts to show itself, and in how many directions it moves.
The blistering, distorted guitars sound like a fierce face-off between bandmates Jordan Renshaw and Isaiah Dominguez. It’s not just a sound, it’s a moment of duality, a clash and complement of their voices as players and creators. That interplay doesn’t just highlight their identity as a duo; it feels like a personal shout to the audience. You can already picture the impact it’s going to have when it hits live. This riff doesn’t just land, it sticks. Iconic already, and something that truly sounds like nothing else out there.
The momentum builds fast, but then there’s this sudden pullback. The instruments drop out, and with that, the vocals cut in. You’re met with a gritty, old-school mic tone, raw and unfiltered. It puts you face to face with the performer in a way that feels personal, immediate, and drenched in that real pop punk DNA.
What comes next drives it home. The drums. Loud, resonant, and swinging wide. They don’t just punch, they orbit. Every hit feels like it’s circling your head, creating this full-body sensation of being surrounded by sound. The way the low-end kick moves with the sharper rack toms and cymbals creates a spiraling, festival-scale energy that feels absolutely massive.
If you’re just discovering West Friends, here’s something you need to know. Both Jordan and Isaiah take the mic. They’re not just performers. They’re both frontmen, and that dynamic creates a rare kind of push and pull that charges the whole song. The way they volley vocals brings tension, lift, and excitement. It feels like a live wire strung between them. Like a high-speed exchange in a championship game, the motion from one to the other keeps the track agile and alive. In this particular song, that movement feels razor-sharp. Each vocal entry slams in like a cutscene, perfectly timed, hitting you before your ears even realize the last line is done.
Lyrically, “It Is What It Is” takes a more somber turn for the duo. There are fewer of the usual tongue-in-cheek punchlines (well, they tried). Instead, we get a look into something darker. The song reflects on how overwhelming life can feel when information is constant and appearances become a full-time job. The lyrics draw attention to how easy it’s become to wear a smile while falling apart inside. It’s a quiet emotional thread that runs just beneath the loudness. And if you’re not listening closely, you could miss it altogether, simply riding the adrenaline of an undeniably exciting, high-energy track with killer vibes.
But it’s all there, hidden in plain sight. References to California Sober and Seasonal Affective Disorder don’t just hint at heaviness. They announce it. And for West Friends, that’s about as serious as they let themselves get. Which, honestly, is part of why it works. They’ve always had that 19-layers-of-irony feel, the kind of wit you associate with Arrested Development or grapevine gossip you only catch if you’re listening twice. That’s what gives them the upper hand lyrically. They’re not just clever. They’re multidimensional. Now take that lyrical complexity and throw it into the fire of this anthemic chorus, and what you get is a full-blown, unhinged pop punk explosion. It’s loud, it’s urgent, and it’s the kind of madness that makes you want to scream your head off in the best possible way.
And speaking of screaming, when the chorus breaks off and the band belts out:
“That’s what I mean when I tell you, it is what it is”
-it’s not just a hook. It’s catharsis. It’s that moment in the crowd where the energy flips from excitement to emotional release.
Then comes the line:
“Affecting seasonal is affecting me”
-and suddenly, the sound shifts again. There’s something new here. Heavier. Moodier. More rock than punk. A little grunge. A touch of a ‘90s power ballad. Honestly, there’s even a trace of Aerosmith’s “Cryin’” in the longer, bent-out guitar notes and the jangly undercurrent of bass. Just two percent, but it’s there. This kind of fusion is rare. First, because almost no one can pull it off. Second, because almost no one has the guts to even try. West Friends did. And they nailed it.
We really do love this band. West Friends has been bringing raw, high-voltage tracks since the beginning, and this one shows they’re stepping up on every front. In a world that’s becoming increasingly automated, it’s refreshing to see a band go full-tilt human. When artists pick up real instruments and pour out real emotion, you can feel it. Whether it’s strings or skins, this duo is choosing their weapons and going to war. And with “It Is What It Is,” they’re not just fighting. They’re winning.
West Friends deliver a genre-pushing knockout with “It Is What It Is,” packed with grit, heart, and massive hooks.
Hailing from Seattle and San Francisco, West Friends brings together two equally powerful creative forces: Jordan Renshaw and Isaiah Dominguez. Both of them are not only vocalists and musicians, but also songwriters. This dual songwriting dynamic is one of the band’s strongest assets, allowing each track to carry multiple emotional perspectives while maintaining a tight, unified sound. Their latest single, “It Is What It Is,” is a standout example of this. The song dives headfirst into themes of emotional detachment, overstimulation, and the pressure to keep up appearances in a hyper-connected world. It’s sharp, honest, and self-aware, touching on California Sober and Seasonal Affective disorder in a way that feels personal without getting preachy.
The track was mixed and engineered by Tom Iannello (Transit, Driveways). His touch gives the song a clean but powerful edge. Under his guidance, and with Jordan and Isaiah leading every lyrical and musical decision, the result is a track that’s both sonically explosive and emotionally layered. West Friends doesn’t just write songs. They craft full-on experiences, blending raw feeling with smart structure and undeniable hooks.
We genuinely loved everything about “It Is What It Is,” from the message to the mix to the guts it took to make something this bold. We’re so excited to have found West Friends and can never wait patiently to hear what they do next.
Make sure to stream, playlist, and share “It Is What It Is” by West Friends right now.