A few months ago, a friend of mine played with Brawlers and declared them to be his new favourite band. Used to such hyperbole, I dismissed this and pretty much forgot about it. I am clearly an idiot.

Having since seen Brawlers’ excellent live show myself – and having listened to this EP several times a day since – I can declare that they are my favourite new band too. This EP kicks off with the storming ‘Mothers and Fathers’ before leading into obvious hit ‘Instagram Famous’, which has had a fair bit of radio play. Sonically, Brawlers are a pop punk band with some epic sing-along moments; but there is definitely something else here. Some of the tracks on this EP – particularly closer ‘I am a Worthless Piece of Shit’ – remind me of something from the late 90s/early 00s, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

This is a band that clearly understands the importance of track placement. Opening and ending with blasts of energy, ‘No Sweat’ brings the excitement down a notch (and gives you a breather) with its slower tempo, before you’re back to being blasted in the face with ‘Heart Attack’.

In summation, this EP is, frankly, too good to be true. Everything about it is so perfectly formed that I can only conclude that Brawlers are wizards and have used ungodly forces to create it. Skip this at your peril and join me in heightened anticipation of future material.

– Ian Perry