Review || Comeback Kid - "Trouble" EP

It's true. Our favorite Canadians are back. Comeback Kid returns with a brand new EP, titled "Trouble", on March 15, 2024 via SharpTone Records. The four-track release comes two years after "Heavy Steps", which established a heavier sound for the band. If there is one thing to know about the Winnipeg outfit is that they're restless. When they're not releasing new music, they're touring relentlessly and this sort of consistency is, to me, the greatest part of their legacy. Plus their live shows are lit.

The EP sonically doesn't stray far from its predecessor. In typical CBK fashion, it still balances between their trademark melodies with the big singalongs and the metallic heaviness they've become more comfortable with in the recent years. Opener and lead single, "Trouble In The Winner's Circle", sets a very familiar tone, with the punk-infused riffs and contagious, anthemic hooks in the chorus and bridge. Paired with vocalist Andrew Neufeld's distinctive screams, I can guarantee it's going to be a fan-favorite live track. The second single, "Disruption", follows. This time Neufeld jumps right in, with a scream that doesn't really prepare the listener for the Motorhead-inspired tune that guides the composition. And while the metallic underbelly is still present, the song has an undeniable in-your-face attitude that sneakily builds and maintains tension throughout. 

"Chompin' At The Bit" is another personal favorite. Much like the opener, I feel it too has a more direct connection to the previous album. Composition-wise, this is the most punchy song so far in the EP, proving that less is more. The tight guitar riffs invite people to mosh and double-step, before the track transitions to a very catchy, melodic chorus. The thing that I notice the most here are Loren Legare's angsty drums, adding very engaging motifs. The last track on the EP is "Breaking And Bruised". The calculated patterns and well-defined layers between the guitar leads, the bass and the drums bring out a groovy yet swaying character that slowly grows on the listener. 

Overall, "Trouble" is a very enjoyable fix between albums to keep fans hooked. It has a sense of structural continuity that I feel CBK don't seem eager to 100% commit to on a full length. In these 4 songs the Canadians bring out a more hardcore punk approach, paying homage to their roots while projecting them through a modern prism. Not many bands are able to keep consistently such good balance between aggression and catchiness without at some point phoning it in and I really doubt that Comeback Kid have any intention of stopping anytime soon. If this EP is the prequel to an album and indicative of a sound progression, consider me sold.

9/10

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