Pop punk is alive, well, and thriving on the Jersey Shore, and Turn Two is proving it with their heart-wrenching, gut-punch of a single, “Medicine (Black & Blue).” From the jump, this song feels like opening an old yearbook, flipping past pages of heartbreak, reckless nights, and growing pains all scored to sharp riffs, crashing drums, and soaring vocals that would make any early 2000s emo kid tear up in their skinny jeans.
Turn Two might be a newer name, but these guys are scene veterans. With members from With The Punches and Count To Four, they’ve played stages all over the world, and it shows. Their debut EP Darkest Days dropped in late 2024, and it’s a tightly packed setlist of anthems for the broken-hearted, the healing, and everyone in between.
But “Medicine” hits differently. It’s the kind of track that starts as a breakup song and turns into a deep reflection on self-sabotage, self-medication, and all the messy stuff we do to get over the stuff we can’t control. You know that feeling when you’re wallowing in your own chaos but somehow still blasting pop punk in your car at full volume because it helps? That’s what “Medicine” is.
The band’s frontman, Mike Hayden, said it best: “We all have medicines that help us cope, especially when we beat ourselves up on the inside.” What sets this track apart is the balance—raw vulnerability wrapped in explosive hooks and melodies you’ll be humming for days. It’s honest. It’s emotional. And it’s catchy as hell.
If you grew up screaming along to Mayday Parade, The Starting Line, or Jimmy Eat World, Turn Two’s latest will hit you right in the feels. Nostalgia never sounded so fresh.
