Draftday's EP is a Genre-Bending Pop-Punk Masterpiece
Darwin-based alternative band Draftday have been making waves in the Australian music scene — huge ones, considering they only formed a year ago. Made up of members Arran Barker (vocals), Lucas Sharp (guitar), Manolis Kamitsis (bass), Rowan Dally (drums) and Tom Ford (guitar), Draftday has rapidly matured into a band that verges on bursting into the national scene. Their singles “Soap” and “En Soi” have achieved triple j and Unearthed airplay.
Following up single “Misspent” earlier this year, they’ve hit us with their first EP, “When I Went Away”, and we were so excited to jump in and review it.
The opening track on the EP, “Mess I’ve Made”, a song specifically written for feeling a sense of fear or remorse, could not have been a better choice to start with. Sonically, the track is mixed and produced so well. The two guitarists are both powerful as they play fluid riffs over the impactful rhythm of the drums and bass. Vocally and lyrically, the lead singer reminds you of a time where you too felt remorse for hurting someone you love. During the chorus, the band joins together in striking harmonies saying “Wish I was better than”, adding to the feeling of honest regret.
“The song centres around stating your errors in order to then work through them, rather than trying to be stoic and avoiding any acceptance of mistakes. Setting groundwork for you to become better by saying ‘This Mess I’ve Made,’” said Arran from the band.
The next song on the release, “Misspent” was released earlier this year, and, as aforementioned, was the band’s most experimental number on the EP. “Misspent” is a track that immediately slaps you in the face with emotion, with a more aggressive sound than the band has used on in their previously recorded tracks. Led by a heavy hard hitting drum rhythm that sets the head-banging tone for the rest of the song, the electric guitar follows with dangerously addictive riffs, while the unfaltering baseline keeps the track moving. Lyrically, it is Draftday’s most unrestrained track yet. Evoking both sadness and anger, “Misspent” is an honest representation of what goes through your head after being hurt.
Shifting away from the heavier hard hitting sounds of the first two songs on the EP, the next two tracks offer a more vulnerable and softer toned composition. “Aster” is the only acoustic number on the EP and was written and strategically placed in the middle of the EP as a point to “regroup thoughts or say goodbye to a lot of things that had changed in our individual lives over time.” The softer tones and emotional warfare continues with “A Perfect Light”. The track starts out with this beautiful, mystical synth that feels as though it is getting closer and closer every second until the eerie far away vocals come in. This track feels the most like a story, from start to finish you are overtaken by the slow build up of instruments and vocals together, intensifying as the song continues, your emotions swell. You become entranced in what feels like a tunnel of sound and emotion until there is nothing more and everything fades to nothing, just like the credits of a film.
“White Fences” is the perfect ending to the emotional rollercoaster ride of “When I Went Away”. It is the summarisation of a year of longing, regret, hurt, growth, and self-doubt. It is the longest song on the EP and brings it to a close by dissecting every aspect explored in the previous tracks. Not only does this track carry a little piece over from the previous tracks on the EP, it also has the most vocal involvement from all members of the band. From head banging guitar riffs and heavy drum rhythms that transition into soft piano keys and a steady voice speaking out about not knowing how to fit in, the song again picks up with the lead singer screaming out his emotions with instruments loudly swelling in the background, and then ends on a quiet voice saying, “And I think I’m fine, moving on. Safe in my skin, safe in knowing you’re not alone”.
We definitely recommend checking out Draftday; the band have also attracted attention from triple j’s Declan Byrne and Dave Ruby Howe, who have suggested that these guys are ready to hit big stadiums, even comparing them to the likes of punk band Trophy Eyes. They also draw inspiration from bands such as Gang of Youths and Ceres, creating their own unique sound, straying away from the cliche that every band that comes out of Darwin is a metal act.
