Bayside

The Red EP

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that there’s no time to waste when it comes to sharing inspiration when it hits. New York punk rockers Bayside have taken this philosophy to the studio and are releasing music as it comes, and the first batch of songs the band hopes to share in the coming months has been packed up and shipped for fans in the form of The Red EP.

“We don’t want to abandon the idea of songs as a collection all together so we decided to release each record session as an EP. The Red EP is a collection from the first round of recordings we did for this project”
Vocalist, Anthony Raneri

The band’s single, “Strangest Faces,” came out earlier this year, and the track kicks off the EP with broad strokes of guitar, marked with robotic movement that trudges through time. Bayside has always been guitar-forward, and it’s nice to see them stretch that signature sound into a more controlled medium that offers both a raw and refined tone.

Alternatively, “Good Advice” boasts classic and fan-favorite Bayside qualities like tasteful guitar riffs, a balanced bass line, a familiar groove, and layered vocals that transport you straight back to the early aughts of pop punk. While the departure in the first track is refreshing and intriguing, this is true Bayside fans will always come out to see.

Closing out the collection with the weightiest track on the EP, the band ventures into their darker side in “Just Like Home,” with lyrics that paint a poignant picture and characteristics borrowed from both prior songs. The playful chord choice and melody give the final seal of identity on The Red EP. Complete with just the right amount of grit in Raneri’s vocals and a soaring call and response, the EP is well-rounded and adventurous—a full and complete experience despite its brevity.

To hear more of what Bayside has been up to in 2022, check out their newest song, their cover of Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow,” and Anthony’s feature on Blackbear’s “Poltergeist” on their playlist, Bayside in 2022.