Help is on the way (up) with new ‘Courage’ EP

Help bandmates Ryan Neighbors (on guitar/vocals), Boone Howard (on bass), and Bim Ditson (on drums) rally together in this mind-bending trip to another world in this epic collective of new songs! 

“Now is the time for a sound saying, ‘fuck this shit!’” Neighbors insists.

“When The Donald became POTUS, I heard a few people say, ‘at least we will get some good punk rock records coming out’. Well, I haven’t heard one yet, so here is ours.”

The band shared, “As much as we feel like Courage is a cohesive piece of music and stands alone, we wanted to give fans more bang for their buck and a more complete listening experience. We decided to press our self-titled EP, Help (released in 2019), on side-B of the vinyl of, as well as make these songs bonus tracks on the digital release. The songs we wrote in 2019 still mean just as much to us as these new songs; our lives were just breaking in different ways and they will be next time around, too.”

Coming straight from the days when punk was spot-on, Help delivers a collection that’s derived from what punk sound was — anger and pain.

The kicker — they insert that ”fuck off” sarcasm. The EP kicks off with “The Consequence”; it’s explosive menacing sound sucks you in and there’s no going back. “Black Cloud” next has pure punk rock just oozing out of its every crevice. This is the gold standard for a punk rock sound. 

“Feel So Alive (Do You Have To)” is another eclectic track, off the hard punk rock sound in prior songs. It’s more of a mellow vibe, but then explodes into a wild anarchist ride. Vocalist Neighbors has got one of the sexiest voices, too, showcasing emotion while making no apologies. The band pushes the envelope and delivers a spell-bounding compilation of music in Courage, ending with “Devil Is A Snake”, a song that winds into a an abyss of grit and anger — pure mosh pit material.

Every track introduces another side to the band. There’s not a dull moment. 

Courage was recorded at Hallowed Halls Studio in their hometown of Portland, Oregon with producer Sonny DiPerri (Portugal. The Man, Animal Collective, Protomartyr, Emma Ruth Rundle). It is available now digitally, as well as on limited edition color vinyl (as mentioned above). Find their music here or check out the links below! While by no means simple, the music is also not too difficult to grasp. They are lyrically seductive and thought-provoking. Punk rock is defined as music that pushes you and I think they accomplished their goal. Go check out this group — Help will blow your mind!

HELP – “The Consequence”

Stream ‘Courage’ EP:

Links: Instagram | Website | Bandcamp

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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.