Album Reviews

Safe To Say get to call Canada home, but let’s not hold that against them. Especially not when they are cranking out tunes like the ones you can hear on their new six-song EP “Hiding Games”. There’s a reason why Side One Dummy signed them and it’s plastered all over this EP. Here’s a hint… it’s because they are friggin’ awesome.

Opening track “Summer Sickness” starts off with a Brand New-ish kinda vibe before bursting wide open into this grungy post-hardcore tune that comes with some badass riffs and a catchy vocal hook. Then in comes “Bracelets”, a song that sounds a bit chaotic and slightly more abrasive. It’s like picking at a scab though, you’ll keep coming back to it. “When I’m Not Here” is by far my favorite track on here. There’s just something about the way it builds up and then explodes in this massive chorus that is followed by a guitar lick that Make Do And Mend didn’t get round to writing yet. “Zoey” is up next and shows yet another side of Safe To Say… let’s call it the radio-friendly one.

These guys know how to write a solid song and they most definitely know their way around a hook. But the versatility of Brad Garcia’s voice is also a big part of what makes Safe To Say stand out. Whether he’s going full force in “Bracelets”or aiming for the high notes in the chorus of “Near Enough”, he’s swinging for the fence and nailing it every time.

It’s safe to say that Safe To Say (sorry, I couldn’t resist) are on a roll here, and I for one am already looking forward to what they’ll be up to next.