Drastic Park – Imposter Syndrome (EP Review)

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Paul 'Browny' Brown

Drastic Park – Imposter Syndrome EP
Released: August 21st, 2020

Lineup

John Stokes – Vocals/Guitar
Chris Tannahill – Bass/Backing Vocals
Joe Larwood – Drums

Online

The EP kicks off with intro song ‘Patience Wearing Thin‘ an upbeat pop punky jam that sets us all up for what to expect with the release. It’s very blinky and you can tell that the boys have been listening to the band’s TOYPAJ album a fair few times before recording. It’s not a bad thing either, if you miss pop punk jams from that era, you’re in for a treat with this! ‘Feels Like Forever‘ begins with frontman John Stokes whiney vocals yelling “this story needs a happy ending, but it just goes on and on…” reminiscent of Tom DeLonge and Ben Barlow of Neck Deep, but our very own Aussie version. Joe Larwood‘s drumming is on point in this fun belter that’ll definitely have old school blink fans ear’s pricking up with certain sounds from the kit that hark back to the glory days! I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect song, it feels a little flat in some parts, but it’s still good enough to get you moving and would be a definite crowd pleaser at future shows!

‘Work of Art‘ is next and this one features Cassie Sutton of Terra, whose voice is just so fitting to the song and not only showcases her ability, but the band’s decision making to get someone great on their track. This one feels more original for the boys with John’s singing style replicating that of Violent Soho‘s Luke Boerdam this time around! ‘I’m Trouble‘ kicks off with an almost 30 second-long instrumental jam that opens up with the lads giving their all, but for me personally, I feel like the emotion/performance in this track was a little flat in comparison to the previously played songs. It’s a good track, poppy/punky throughout, but could have been better with a crisper vocal performance. ‘10 Years‘ though, fuck me, for a second there I could have sworn they travelled back in time and scored 2001 Tom DeLonge on this track on guest vocals. The resemblance is uncanny. Big ups to the boys for that moment! This one borders more on the punk side of their musical talents so if you’re a big skate punk fan, chances are you’ll add this to your playlist rotation instantly.

The EP wraps it all up with the acoustic slow jam song ‘B+‘ which brings all of the feels and wholesome vibes with its sing-a-long lyrics of: “everything will get better now/everybody needs to just stay strong/we need to all come together no/and sing along to this song” but all that gets thrown out the window moments later when the mood changes with the guys belting out “but I’m, just like fuckkkkkkkk/we’re all gonna die” and we have ourselves an almost-acoustic, pessimistic, get through bad times anthem! To be fair, I kinda wanted to hate this song, but it was filled with just the right amount of cheesiness and catchiness to make it a fitting song for the world right now and remind you to not take life so seriously and just embrace the fuck ups we go through, it’s not the end of the world, it’s just a shit few minutes and we’ll be fine shortly after.

Drastic Park are going places and their new EP is evidence of that. They’re honing in on that pop punk sound from the early 2000’s which fills you with nostalgia and gets you pumped up for what else they’ve got brewing. The EP may be called Imposter Syndrome (because, to me, they’re replicating sounds from the aforementioned bands throughout the review) but they’re certainly giving them their own spin and proving they’re more than just a one-trick pony!