Surrey-based pop-punk quartet, SHADED, have released their debut EP ‘The Better Man In Me‘, and it’s a punchy six-track mix inspired by all of your favourite pop-punk bands.
The first thing that strikes me with this band is that they don’t sound like your average pop-punk band. In a genre that can often sound a little samey, it can be hard to find new ground and sound original, but SHADED do this with ease. Taking elements and inspiration from big-name bands like State Champs, WSTR, and 5 Seconds of Summer, SHADED have crafted their own brilliant sound.
The EP opens with their first single, ‘Better With You‘, and a summery riff leads the song to vocalist Matt East singing about missing a relationship, before building to a big chorus. Relationships (romantic and otherwise) and post-relationship feelings are a recurring and relateable lyrical theme of the EP. East said about the EP, “If, somehow, even just a few people can relate to and connect with our music, we’ll be over the moon.” It’s a solid opening track, with catchy melodies and hard-hitting riffs, and overall, it can’t be faulted.
Track two, the catchy Knucle Puck-esque ‘Here’s To Starting Again‘, continues with SHADED‘s impressive sound. Callum Irons’s riffs are a definite highlight throughout the EP, taking on a slightly heavier tone in this track, juxtaposed with more positive lyrics about restarting a relationship.