Incase We Crash – “No Education” [Album Review]

In recent years, Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been put on the map in different ways. Of course, the city has birthed the likes of Drake, The Weeknd and artists from surrounding areas, such as Justin Bieber and PartyNextDoor, but the alternative scene has also become prominent. With bands like Seaway, Counterparts, Rarity and Like Pacific doing big things these days, there seems to be an expectation from groups that come from the six.

Pop-punk band and Toronto locals Incase We Crash have been grinding it out and are now set to release their second EP, No Education, on November 9th. With one EP to their name, the three-piece (consisting of vocalist/guitarist Simon Austin, bassist Antony Lena and drummer Tyler Twigger) cover the struggles of early adulthood throughout this album. Uncertainty, following passions, outside opinions, etc. You name it and you’ll find something relatable here. The group have noticeably refined their sound on this release, and it is a big step forward.

When you craft sublime pop-punk like this, you don’t need “No Education”.

These guys manage to blend both current and past eras of pop-punk rather well, keeping the edge that the early-mid 2000’s brought (see “No Education” and “What I See”). However, in the EP’s short time-frame, they branch out and get into weird territory, but a good weird. The re-recorded “Straight 2 The Head”, which was once a straight up pop-punk/easycore tune, now has a bit of flare to it with the clean guitar tone and that catchy-as-hell intro oddly reminiscent of The 1975.

Track five, “I Threw My Books Into The Ocean”, is where the real shift hits. For this ballad, the group opt out of normal instruments (which the exception of a touch of lead guitar), relying instead on synths and electronic drum beats. It’s a beautiful song and has grown over time to become a favourite.

Incase We Crash have taken what they did on their debut EP and made it a more interesting listen. Admittedly, pop-punk can become stale, but this isn’t the case here. Of course, you’re going to hear staples of the genre, but with some added kick to it, not to mention a couple curveballs in the process. The band have crafted an impressive sophomore release thatr’ definitely worth a listen.

No Education Track Listing:

01. No Education
02. Varadero
03. Waiting To Sink
04. Straight 2 The Head
05. I Threw My Books Into The Ocean
06. What I See

Run Time: 17:53
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Record Label: Self-Released