Local band Small Reactions receives a big reaction and review

Small Reactions is a punk-pop band based out of Kennesaw, Ga., who have integrated into the Atlanta punk scene since 2005. With strong post-punk roots, Small Reactions features Rossellini Politi, Scottie Hoffman and Sean Zearfoss. The band began playing in East Atlanta in 2009 and have grown as they maintain a presence in the Atlanta punk scene.

Small Reactions has signed with a record label upon the release of their third album, New Age Soul. Their collaboration with their record label has provided many promotional benefits.

“We have a small label we’re working with out of Kentucky called SofaBurn Records,” said Zearfoss. “They released and promoted our most recent record and are great to work with.

“Having a label this time made things a lot easier,” continued Zearfoss. “There’s more hands for projects and more people with a vested interest.”

            One of the band’s most important values is their belief and passion towards the music they create with one another. Despite recent declines in the punk scene itself, the band continues to chase this passion.

            “Punk has a sense of community and going to these shows at a young age, I felt this feeling of kids that weren’t really being watched over because when you’re in school you don’t have that freedom,” said Politi. “And then you go to a punk show.

“To me, Punk represents that freedom of a place where people could go who aren’t into sports or something,” continued Politi. “It becomes their outlet.”

            The love of punk and freedom incites is reflected in the band’s journey and sound. Their connection to one another is what they believe creates the magic of their band.

            “We believe in our music,” said Zearfoss. “We came into the scene as a lot of people were leaving it, but we’ve been slow and steady, having the goal to grow more each year. The most important thing is that we enjoy playing together and believe in our music.”

            The members of Small Reactions were greatly influenced from young ages by the eclectic nature of punk-pop and everything that goes along with it.

            “When I was 14, I first heard Black Sabbath and the music almost scared me,” said Zearfoss. “But then I kept listening to it and realized that it was something kind of special and elicited a reaction.

“I think music has this innate power to draw an emotion and reflect emotion while also connecting people, it’s art,” continued Zearfoss. “That art lives and breathes on stage and you build it every time you play a show.”

            As the members of the band found their love for music, they began their journey of chasing the punk scene and sound. Not only was the music completely captivating to them but the connection between the audience and the musicians greatly appealed to their desires as artists.

“Punk blurs the line between the stage and the audience,” said Politi. “People would even be up on the stage and wouldn’t get kicked off.

“Punk music to me is to have an outlet for a show that makes you think, wow I just went to an event, not like I just watched a movie,” continued Politi.

Small Reactions aims to captivate this energy and connection to the audience, not only through punk but by pushing the boundaries between the melodic tunes of pop and intensity of punk. This can be seen through the course of each of their albums as the different elements of music blend together to create their unique sound.

“I’ve always envisioned us as a punk band, but we try to push those ideas to this sort of edge,” said Zearfoss. “Almost like how far can we walk a pop melody in left field before it’s no longer punk music.

  “We kind of hover over that line between a strong melody and chaos and noise,” continued Zearfoss. “We want our music to be catchy and melodic but we also want it to be interesting with nuanced melodies and complex structures.”

Small Reactions will be playing their next show at The Earl in Atlanta on Friday, August 27 at 8:00 p.m. EST. The concert will feature the release of their aforementioned third album, New Age Soul. Tickets can be purchased through The Earl’s website for viewers 21 and older.