Review by Shannon Shumaker
UK pop-punk group Safeguard’s new EP, I’m A Stranger To Myself is a short, but incredibly strong release. Consisting of only four songs, one of which is a brief intro, I’m A Stranger To Myself forces Safeguard to provide a perfect taste test of sound in only three full songs, and they certainly rise to the occasion. The hard hitting “Harbour,” solid “November” and emotional “No Man’s Land” each showcase a different side of the band, making for a surprisingly diverse and incredibly solid release.
The EP’s first full track, “Harbour” hits hard and catches your attention with emotive guitar work and powerful vocals that fall in line with artists like Neck Deep or Knuckle Puck. “Harbour” isn’t just strong sonically though – lyrically, this is an incredibly personal track about feeling unsure about who you are and trying to figure your life out in lines like, “I’m not the person that people see / My mind got the best of me.”
If this is your first time listening to Safeguard, it’ll take no time at all to fully understand what they’re all about, giving you a chance to fully enjoy these songs instead of spending half of the EP trying to grasp the band’s sound. Where “Harbour” is more hard hitting, “November” takes things down a notch, which then leads easily into the somber final track, “No Man’s Land.”
The contrast between the first and last song on the EP is high, but with “November” in between, it allows the band to explore their range within only three full tracks. I’m A Stranger To Myself might go by quickly, but each song is well written, emotional and flows perfectly into the next. With a full-length hopefully in the future, Safeguard are capable of great things.
LISTEN TO: “Harbour”
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