Praise for Toronto Punk Band, Service Delay’s New EP

In the music industry of 2020, anything goes. Particularly, the resurgence of 90’s rock and punk sounds such as Service Delay’s new EP, Splash.

However, Splash is anything but nostalgic. From intricate guitar solos to a live crowd call-and-response, the EP is yet another example of the hidden gems of the Toronto music scene. No doubt the band is very tight, having been playing together since 2017. Service Delay has since released two EPs and numerous singles. The EP features three quite contrasting songs but they all explore the idea of “leaving home to start a new life in an unfamiliar place, dealing with the reality that someone close to you has depression and tragic world events that seem to happen much too often” says the band’s bassist, Joe Galbrand.

“Blue”, the second song on the EP, is one of my favourites. It starts off with a fragile, introverted verse over a looped guitar riff before exploding into the chorus. It reminds me of the moment when you decide to do something that you’re afraid of and you don’t look back after that. “It’s all worth it!” the chorus screams as the song hits its climax and then, just as quickly as we got there, the song finishes and a desperate voice says, “after all.”

All three songs on the EP are like bursts of emotion and frustration that can’t be contained. As soon as it seems like the music becomes too overwhelming and exciting, the song ends, leaving the listener in a dazed and unsatisfying trance. Perhaps it’s a result of how short the EP is. With only three tracks, it’s challenging to capture the full story that they’re trying to tell.

The EP is produced beautifully and it’s not to say that the music itself is lacking, but I would have liked to hear more of what they wanted to say and understand the full story behind Splash.

Listen to Service Delay’s Splash here: