WITH RELATABLE LYRICS, A SOLID GUEST FEATURE AND ANGSTY VIBES THE LATEST EP FROM GUARDRAIL IS A WELCOMED ADDITION TO THE MUSIC COMMUNITY

Chicago diet punk band Guardrail released Yikes on September 25, 2020, their first EP under their record label Open Your Ears Records.

Kicking off with “Really,” an angsty, emotional song diving into the reality of living life and learning how to function through daily lessons like standing up for oneself. There are ups and downs and Kevin Konieczny, lead vocalist, portrays this with his distressed vocal tone.

The lyrics are straight forward and literal, and I found myself relating to a lot of them as I’m trying to live life the best I can. Between the vocals and instrumentation, this song sucks the listener into what Guardrail’s EP is all about. Functionality is key and coping with certain issues pertaining to everyday life is really what it’s all about.

“Shipwrecked” features the lead vocalist from The Color Morale, Garrett Rapp. It starts with a heavy guitar introduction; having a love for well-written instrumentals, this brought it to life for me, even before the vocals kicked in. Konieczny begins singing, right out of the gate, “I’m not sure where we’re going, starting to think we’ve been sailing way off course.” Everyone has plans for their life and sometimes people veer off course, drastically. “Shipwrecked” is a metaphor for the unexpected change in one’s plan for life. This being my favorite song off the EP testifies to the intense, emotional pull on the heartstrings it provides.

An interesting organizational choice is leaving the title track to the end. “Yikes” begins with a somber instrumental, leading into the softer vocal tone of Konieczny. Tugging at the heart strings yet again, this song can hit home for those who feel like they are not good enough and struggle with self-worth. It’s a positive affirmation, leaving a smile on my face. Even if I’m struggling, I’m always doing better than what I think, and I need to worry less and live my life the best way I can.

Guardrail have always written relatable music and this new addition to their discography is another nod to how creative and talented they are. They may have had no intention for their music to be this relatable, but it is. This EP is for those who either love to rock out to angsty relatable music, or those who feel lost and wandering and need a soundtrack for their lives.