Paper Champ and The ‘Easily L.E.D’ EP.
Paper Champ – Ipswich, England, United Kingdom.
For our previous work on the band – Click Here.
The new EP from Ipswich natives Paper Champ is a release I’ve wanted to sit down with for quite some time. The band are very much apart of new(ish) wave of UK melodic Punk-Rock and Skate Punk that takes the North American genre and twists it to fit our jagged little islands.
‘Faith Costs’ sounds akin to latter-day Pulley and their darker more sombre approach. A tin-like rumbling bass provides the classic genre foundation while further classic ear-wormy guitar leads are anthemic and crooning. ‘Faith Costs’ is however not the fast charge you would expect but that said, it carries strength lyrically speaking as it takes it’s place in the “Punk Vs. Religion” altercation.
‘Building Bridges’ carries harder vocals over upbeat and lovingly 90’s sounding rhythms you’d find on any of those bands more recent comeback albums – *cough Face To Face cough* – That isn’t a criticism by the way, Paper Champ have chosen to channel a more personal inspiration for this second track with the onset delivery being the only way it can be. – ‘It’s moments like this, that grab is and take us – so far away’.
‘Way Over The Line’ is very much the track ‘Faith Costs’ should have been. Harder, darker and more driven in the verses with the band sticking truer to their Skate Punk roots. Lyrically again, the band fall into more personal waters with a current propelled by honesty. ‘Way Over The Line’ very much has all the needed hallmarks of a strong Skate Punk song, the contrasting verses and chorus complementing each other in both tempo and mood with an overall hint at heavier things to come.
‘Stories From Around Campfires’ comes complete with all of the previous but far less confined and the track very much gives credit to the earlier prediction. This is still a Skate Punk song but it lends itself to further riffs and vocals lent from Alternative Rock and a rage that fits closer with Melodic Hardcore and further. ‘Stories From Around The Campfire’ is testament to an EP has shed is mildly precarious start – it’s teenage years if you like – and hit its 20’s with both youthful exuberance and a more grounded and mature sound of mind.
Now, I may have been full of complimentary descriptions in regard to the maturity of the penultimate but the finale is very much the opposite, at least on the cover. ‘Blacklist Me!’ is a tongue and cheek song with a darker meaning and delivery. This is scrappy 90’s snotty Punk humour with more depth from people further along in life, who are able to leave more of a message rather than via just the initial wording.
Easily L.E.D is an EP that very much grows upon itself as much as it does the listener. This is grass-roots UK Punk-Rock and there isn’t huge amount more I can say about it. I have no huge criticisms and similarly no overly gratuitous complements either.
To be blunt, this EP works and is credit to a hampered but still growing and determined scene.
Find the band below:
#StayFresh
