Trash Boat | Brainwork Review

For a band that have only been around for a year, Trash Boat have already come a long way. Last year, the band released their first EP Look Alive which certified them as one of the foremost UK pop punk bands around at the moment. Now, a year later, the band have just announced that they've signed to Hopeless Records following in the footsteps of Neck Deep and ROAM. With the signing, the guys also announced that they would be releasing their new EP 'Brainwork' just in time for the summer months. 

Brainwork starts off with Taylor, a minute long opener which kick things off straight away. After a captivating start, the song shoots into a fast, up-beat, rhythmic section with fervent vocals. The EP then launches into Saving Face, another of Brainwork's rapid-paced tracks with an engrossing riff. The lyrics are self-loathing and sincere, structured into a melodic chorus. 

Up next is Perspective which Trash Boat have just released a video for. Lyrically, Perspective attends to vocalist Tobi Duncan's health issues and the torment and adversity can be detected through his fierce vocals. At first, the song starts off slowly but the pace soon picks. The song is a dynamic mix of energy blended with a powerful vocal melody.    

The fourth song, As Seen On Our Screen, deals with the struggles of a tedious job and trying to escape to find something better. The song is definitely one that stands out, with the opening riff instantly able to capture your attention. The chorus on this song is also striking, coinciding nicely with the catchy, intoxicating riffs and the wholehearted lyrics.

The final song, Eleven, is definitely the most fast paced. However, it does slow down towards the end, combined with gang vocals which chant 'rip my heart from my sleeve, sinking deep inside my chest'.  It's a vigorous close to the EP, with a profusion of energy which is ingrained with ardent lyrics. 

Overall, Brainwork is an EP loaded with rapid, breakneck songs which only slow down for a second or so. Every song is filled with enthralling guitar parts, earnest lyrics and a vehement tempo. The lyrics cover themes such as health, self-scrutiny and escaping terrible jobs; it's easy to depict a crowd of people shouting these lyrics back when played live. Brainwork leans more towards the punk than pop side of pop-punk and Trash Boat pull it off well. It's clear that Trash Boat have stuck to all the elements that made their previous EP Look Alive great, while also not becoming too repetitive. 

Brainwork is out on the 18th of May. Stream it below:



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