Release Date: 28/08/2020
Record Label: Wiretap Records
For Fans Of: Columbus, Ducking Punches, Frank Turner
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia are a band called Catholic Guilt that Alternative Press featured on a list of ‘10 Genre-Bending Bands You’ve Probably Never Heard Of’. The release of their EP This Is What Honesty Sounds Like might just change that, with a seamless blend of uplifting folk and pop-punk that makes quite the lasting impression.
If you plotted the trajectory of both pop-punk and folk music, Catholic Guilt would proudly sit at that intersecting point. The various ingredients combine to create music for the internally-conflicted masses that is as honest as the day is long. It’s raw, it’s disarming, but this record only reflects the thoughts and feelings of much of society.
This Is What Honesty Sounds Like is a record that is equally at home around a campfire, toasting marshmallows and staring up at the night sky, as it is at a party with red flip cups strewn across the floor and a sea of faces that you’ve never seen before. Tracks such as ‘Song of The Renter’ epitomises this dual-identity, an infectious folk-like sea shanty with punk grit and spirit. ‘The Awful Truth’ has an irresistible rhythm to it that will have your toes tapping in a way that can only be described as pop-punk goes to a barn dance.
While there are efforts on this record such as ‘A Boutique Affair’ that explode out of the speakers with an infectious joy, there are some that hit a little nearer the mark. The flawless ‘Nothing’ is uplifting and empowering but the abundance of emotion flowing through its veins is clear to see. This remarkable track has an appealing and endearing aura around it that is like a comforting arm around your shoulder, which is an appropriate summary of Catholic Guilt in general.
Catholic Guilt not only present an EP that is a clear display of the talent that exists within the band but also a bold and daring attempt to blend folk and pop-punk in a way that brings out the best of both musical spheres. This Is What Honesty Sounds Like? Maybe this is what the future sounds like…
Rating: 7/10
Recommended Track: ‘Song of The Renter’