EP REVIEW: Guardrail Drops New EP YIKES This Friday
EP REVIEW: Guardrail Drops New EP YIKES This Friday
Along with the new EP, the band released a video for “Til We’re Dead”
at
Words by: Amanda Marano
Chicago-based punk outfit Guardrail is rising on the scene with the release of their latest EP, Yikes. Their signature, self-prescribed “diet punk sound” is on full display in the EP. Their first track, “Til We’re Dead,” is a guitar driven heavy hitter with elements of rock and punk perfectly blended together. Speaking on the track, the band shared: “‘Til We’re Dead’ follows the concept that our generation is constantly striving for and chasing something, yet we’re not even sure what it is, leading us to feel unfulfilled again and again. The video (shot and produced by Phil Goode), depicts that chase for the unknown that may or may not satisfy the empty internal void we feel.”The 6-track EP also includes several other great songs like the bold and brash opener “Really,” which channels all the early 2000s feels in both sound and lyrics. “Shipwrecked,” featuring Garret Rapp, smashes through the surface both instrumentally with driving drumlines and guitars set to overdrive. “Yikes,” the title track, is a slower breath of fresh air with calming guitar interludes and poignant lyrics. The track is more tender than the others on the EP and marks a step towards a punk-pop ballad for the group which is the perfect closer to the EP.
Newly signed to Open Your Ears Records, Guardrail will be releasing their label debut EP, Yikes, on September 25th. A portion of the proceeds from the EP will be donated to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund which has made it their mission to support Black Lives Matter protestors by sponsoring bails, connecting protestors with legal resources, and collecting resources locally for protestors.
When asked about their new EP, the band shared, “We’re getting older. It sucks. Is this really it? It feels like we’re missing something. Rather than a bright future, we inherited a broken planet and a broken system. We keep waiting for it to get better, but will it ever get better?”
Hailing from Chi-town, Guardrail is comprised of Kevin Andrew (vocals), Ken Ugel (guitar), Alyssa Leassig (bass, vocals), and Doug Brand (drums). They own their punk style with tracks that are loud, fast, and passionate. Their self-described sound of “diet punk” started off as a joke, but it eventually developed into an entire genre which the group found themselves at the forefront. While they’re not exactly punk in the traditional sense, the classic punk sound is clearly their biggest influence. Guardrail has made it their mission to sing happy songs about not-so-happy things, marinated in Jeppson’s Malört and positive energy.
On Friday, the band is hosting a virtual happy hour in honor of the release of Yikes. Catch the event on 7pm CST on Facebook Live, to hang with the band and celebrate the new project. Stay tuned for more from Guardrail!
