REVIEW: 3 Dollars - Plus Tax

Formed in New Jersey in 2022, 3 DOLLARS are fighting to stand out amongst the countless young groups itching to leave their mark in the punk scene, but these are more than your average Joes, with most members having spent at least half of their youthful lives perfecting their instruments. The proof lies within their debut EP, Plus Tax, the culmination of the four-piece’s efforts to nail a style that has already earnt them a strong local following, growing international attention and opening gigs for the likes of QUICKSAND and 7 SECONDS. This five track EP’s themes can be defined by the result of naturally reading the words that the title is composed of, being pissed off and fed up. It revolves around adolescence and nostalgia, leaving you wiped out both emotionally and physically if you’re in the mood to rock along to adrenaline packed bangers and sink into lyrical angst. 

We kick into action with Nauseous, instant relentless post-emo juiciness that effectively serves as an appetiser into the band’s combo of stellar riffs, punchy drums and ardent vocals, wrapped up with very solid production. It plays around with time signatures in a flavourful manner and features a bridge that plants itself into your mind with a highly catchy clash of guitar and drum action. The lyrics offer a reflection on being desperate to escape a situation and bad influence that the voice knows is only eating at him, tension that lingers throughout the record. 

Like I Said I Would, the following track, found notable success on streaming platforms alongside earlier song The Last Thing I Remember, contributing to their growth in the scene, and it’s not a challenge to see why. The atmosphere immediately grips you, most notably in the guitarwork, mainly offered by Tyler Wachtel on lead and Costas Krassos on bass, enthusiasm matched by drummer Ben Kamel who never falters when keeping the song alive and fresh. It’s the kind of song that would thrive in a small, sweaty room, encouraging you to let loose and escape life for a moment. Every stage exhibits emotion, with hefty lyrics such as “Need to piece together this eulogy for a household name catastrophe” making it easy to depict the themes of crumbling relations. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRlx_UazJ_o

We transition smoothly into the next track, Suppressed Memories, the lead single for the EP, a song that only cements that the party has found their sound, all being layered in a very complimentary fashion. We experience a moment of powerful, strongly held higher pitched vocals, followed by well-placed and executed screams by vocalist Arthur Pawley, who offered some insight into the themes of the track: “this song is about being in limbo, looking for that inspiration to make sure you are doing the right thing…not getting stuck in your past mistakes”. The rapid-fire instrumentals alongside brief moments of pause allow you to experience feelings of breaking apart and holding on, trapped in a cycle by intrusive thoughts of past mistakes.

Waking Up Early forces you to face reality, having lyrics that are uncomfortably descriptive of mundane yet depressive parts of life. Another song that excels in having captivating progression, where the collaboration between drums and guitars is so refined that it allows Pawley to effortlessly blend in with them, creating a satisfying mix. Despite sonically similar, each song is distinguishable, taking an approach that has a bit of flair to give each piece its own personality, which even well-established artists can struggle with. Lastly, we close the EP with Untitled #17, a song about wanting to be detached from a situation so desperately that the song about it doesn’t even get the courtesy of having a proper name. This is everything you would ask for from a kickass post-emo song, raging guitar riffs, robust drumming prowess, a voice of pure sorrow and the perfect lyrics to scream in frustration. Pent up resentment let out all at once with as much force as the group’s sound should allow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGbpcUM5UwA

Plus Tax isn’t merely a debut record, it’s a statement, one that says that 3 DOLLARS are well on their way to becoming a formidable act in America’s post-emo scene and are undeniably one to watch.

Score: 8/10

Plus Tax will be released on 10th July 2026 via Smartpunk Records.

Words: Paul Cutts

Photos: Michael Dubin