Let’s not beat around the bush here – if you like punk, there’s a good chance you’ll like BarCreeps. While a lot of bands seem to be fixated on becoming genre-transcending legends before they can so much as walk, BarCreeps have no such pretensions. This eponymous EP is pretty much as good a short, sharp shot of punk as it gets.

Emphasis on the “short” too, as these three tracks absolutely whizz by in under ten minutes. Meaning that, if you’re after something substantial, this mightn’t hit the spot. Then again, the three songs at least portray the band as more than competent songwriters. ‘Joey Smokes’ already appears destined to be a future crowd pleaser, while ‘Down Town’ picks up a bit more steam with some of the more ragged features of modern pop-punk.

To be perfectly honest there’s not a lot that you won’t have heard before here. But then again, there’s really no need for there to be. BarCreeps get plenty of mileage from the traditional punk ethos of bashing out chords in any way that seems fit, and all three of these tracks work because of that. Even if ‘Down Town’ is slightly weaker due to being more abrasive, it’s not even close to being a bad song.

At the end of the day though, where BarCreeps will be ultimately judged will be from their success in longer, more fleshed-out releases. Something that this EP most certainly is not. But if nothing else, it’s the leg up that should hopefully get them noticed. And for a new band, that’s more important than ever these days.

3.5/5

‘BarCreeps’ EP by BarCreeps is out now Dirty Sushi Records.

BarCreeps links: Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

Words by Luke Nuttall (@nuttall_luke)