Pop-punk can be tough ground to cover musically. You must have the perfect blend of catchy hooks, visual lyricism with plenty of pop sensibility. Brave Days achieves that in leaps and bounds with their newest release, Work in Progress.

Clocking in just under a total of twenty-two minutes, it is a fast-paced ride that leaves you wanting more. The EP opens with “Luminous Beings Are We.” As an intro it sets a nice aesthetic that flows throughout the album as a whole and fades into “Cloudy Eyes,” which is where the pace is set for the remainder of the project. While both “Cloudy Eyes” and “Ring by Spring” are good songs, they don’t stand out as much as the final four tracks of the album.

“Sound Waves” has probably one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard in recent memory, and it carries the track beautifully with the sound wave visual that lends a fresh perspective to falling for someone by the sound of their voice. The elaboration of sound waves adds a level of depth to the song making it more than just a pop-punk love song. “God Save the Greed” is a poignant take on the current social/political climate across the country and paints a visual narrative that no one should gain power by the spilling of another’s blood.

“Burning Bush Youth Group” has some of the best guitar and drum work on the whole album and speaks to the pitfalls of growing up in a small town, and how a majority of those around you can be narrow-minded all while trying to be in and know everyone else’s business to make sure they believe the “right way.”

The album draws to a close with the title track, “Work in Progress.” Musically, it is a bit slower than the rest, but it is the perfect end cap and allows the bass riff to stand out. The production mix could be a little better in my opinion. It is not bad by any means, but there is a very full sound just under the surface that is begging to be heard in its full capacity.

Overall, this is a remarkable release that is riddled with great visual lines throughout, and Brave Days has a lot of promise if they keep on this trajectory musically and lyrically. It would be great to see them get more recognition and exposure. It would be great to see them open shows for pop-punk veterans New Found Glory, as they would be a great fit and give them a much bigger platform.

Work in Progress can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play or Bandcamp.

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– Phil Hawkins