Homebound – “The Mould You Build Yourself Around” [EP] [Album Review]

Homebound, a pop-punk quartet from Farnham, England, just released their third EP The Mould You Build Yourself Around on February 10th via Rude Records. For fans of the genre, this is a solid offering from a band that has already established themselves as up-and-coming with 2015’s Permanence. But does Homebound set themselves apart from the plethora of other UK pop-punk acts with The Mould You Build Yourself Around?

While heavier than prior releases, and significantly more well-rounded, The Mould You Build Yourself Around follows the same tried and tested patterns other pop-punk predecessors have laid out before them, offering little deviation in lyrical content or sound. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—Homebound encapsulates the sound of incredibly successful pop-punk bands flawlessly on this five-song EP. Is it something to write home about? Well, that’s for listeners to decide.

The Mould You Build Yourself Around was produced by Seb Barlow, who has also worked with bands like Neck Deep, As It Is, and WSTR, and the similarity of sound is quite evident. I enjoyed the EP– it is certainly catchy and sounds great overall. However, across the board, pop-punk acts are going to have to start thinking outside the box in order to stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.

Homebound is no different, it is evident that they are searching for their sound and haven’t quite found the ingredient they need to break the mould. Hopefully, a future full-length or EP will deliver that little bit of diversity the scene needs—I’m certain they are talented enough to pull it off. Either way, give it a listen. If pop-punk is your jam, you’ll definitely enjoy this album.

The Mould You Build Yourself Around EP Track Listing:

01. Headspace
02. Pensive
03. Distrait
04. Sonder
05. Broken Reverie

Run Time: 18 min
Release Date: February 10, 2017

Check out the song “Distrait” by Homebound