There have been a lot of great punk EPs released in 2015. Here are my top ten of them.
10. Modern Baseball -
The Perfect Cast
This EP felt like it came out of nowhere. In the summer
Modern Baseball pulled out of some festivals and tour dates so bandmember
Brendan could deal with some mental health problems. During that time away they
wrote this strikingly honest EP about living with mental health issues.
9. Spineless Yes Men
- The Death Of Denmark
I randomly met some members of Spineless Yes Men on the tube
after a Red City Radio gig and they told me about their band. When I got home
and listened to this EP I fell in love with the sing-along pop punk. It had me
reminiscing about growing up listening to Drive Thru Records pop punk bands
such as Allister and Home Grown.
8. WACO - Sundown
WACO are one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. In
all honesty I didn't expect to enjoy this band as much as I have this year.
Sundown features five punk rock gems perfect for singing along with your
friends. Agitation is one of the very best songs of the year.
7. The Fur Coats -
Short-Brain
I first discovered The Fur Coats through a Make-That-A-Take
Records compilation and I was hooked. This is brilliantly fun and unique pop
punk music; lead singer Marc Ruvolo has a brilliantly distinctive voice.
6. The Kimberly
Steaks - Chemical Imbalance
Scotland's three-piece pop punks released a great EP that I
feel is about the journey you go on when you are struggling with your mental
health. Combining Ramonescore with early 90s Lookout Records pop punk, The
Kimberly Steaks have become one of the most talked about bands in the genre.
There is also a fantastic cover of Something Good by Herman's Herbits.
5. River Jumpers -
River Jumpers
2015 was quite a year for Brighton's River Jumpers. They had
an almost complete line-up change and became a five piece instead of a four.
Before all this change they released a new self-titled EP, which is classic
River Jumpers, containing five brilliant melodic punk tracks that will have you
singing along in no time at all.
3 & 4. Less
Deceived - Average Songs About The Best Days Of Our Lives/It'll Never Get
Better Than This
Hull's Less Deceived have had a very prolific year,
releasing two of the best EPs of the year. They are both so good I couldn't
pick between them on this list so they are having two places on it! Less
Deceived play gruff-voiced, melodic punk that will have you singing and throwing
your fists in the air in equal measure. This band have the potential to be
absolutely massive!
2. Forever Unclean -
Shreds!
Denmark's Forever Unclean are another wonderful find that I
discovered through Make-That-A-Take Records. They got announced for the label’s
Book Yer Ane Fest so I checked them out and became hooked on the EP Shreds!
Shreds! is a six song EP containing some fantastic fast and furious skate punk.
The band barely pause for breath throughout and the whole thing is incredibly
catchy. Absolutely fantastic live as well.
1. The Briggs - The
Briggs
I may have missed something but The Briggs seemed to come
out of absolutely nowhere with a brand new self-titled EP this year. I have
adored the LA based band for years now and had kind of given up hope on any new
material from the band. Then I saw on Bandcamp that this EP had been released
and I was super excited and then slightly worried that it wouldn't live up to
my high expectations of the band. I had no need to worry though, as The Briggs
released an absolute classic of an EP. It's a more grown-up sounding Briggs
than we're used to, focusing more on intelligent lyrics and musicianship than
they perhaps have in the past. Every song is amazing, now here's hoping they
find their way back to the UK so I can finally see them live.
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