EP Review: ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ by One last Daybreak (UK)
‘Maybe Tomorrow’ Cover Art via One Last Daybreak
Artist: One Last Daybreak
Genre: Emo Revival
Label: Independent
Reviewed Music: ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ (EP, June 26th, 2020) 4 Tracks (20 min)
“Coward”
“Like Father, Like None”
“The Captain Is Out To Lunch and Sailors Have Taken Over The Ship”
“Old World Blues”
Review of ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ (EP, June 26th, 2020) by One Last Daybreak
Re-birthing a genre familiar to many, the talented UK act, One Last Daybreak, hearkens back to a nostalgic time with their latest EP, ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ (June 26th, 2020). Channeling ferocious angst and waves of emotion, this act interprets what the post-hardcore sound means to them across four impressive tracks. Through gushing sentiments, transparent lyricism, and poised instrumentals, One Last Daybreak pulls together what very well could be classified as a true ‘Emo Revival’ in modern times.
"…Some bands and people go through stages that they do things just for the sake of doing them and I think that with “Maybe Tomorrow” that we (One Last Daybreak) wanted to make something with purpose - we want to take the 'emo revival' and not just copy something someone did 15 years ago but what do we want to do - finding our own identity as a band and as people, if you will..." - James Hart - Drums (The Dear Untitled Podcast - Ep #34)
Confrontational riffs and harsh vocals greet listeners with open arms, as “Coward” opens. No detail is missed as the structure and composition of this entry piece prelude the baited unrest yet to come. Mounting into a chaotic mayhem fans crave from a passionate bands such as this, the moody guitar and serene vocals anchor themselves to the flurry of emotion as the track closes.
"...A broken child from a broken home
A little boy left all alone
How could you do that to someone you love?
You fucking coward, enough is enough
I can’t forgive you for what you have done
You broke a mother and abandoned her son
How could you do that to someone you love?
You fucking coward, enough is enough..."
-Excerpt from "Coward" by One Last Daybreak
A muted guitar progression opens “Like Father, Like None”, launching listeners into a stunning display of range and talent from this youthful band. Tempo changes, unruly guitars, and moments of pure vigor accent this track: recreating any emo music lover’s dream. The dynamic ebb and flow of this piece encapsulates such a stylistic variation of what feels like a powerful influential blend of artists like Escape the Fate, Anberlin, and Silverstein. Vocally, the coarse translation of internal frustrations present themselves. As these cries lash against receiving eardrums, listeners experience the agony firsthand:
"...No-one knows when I’m all alone
I think of how we used to be a real family
With happiness and no despair
A happiness without tears.."
-Excerpt from "Like Father, Like None” by One Last Daybreak
Time traveling to what feels like a peak Warped Tour moment, “The Captain Is Out To Lunch and Sailors Have Taken Over The Ship”, is a fitting third track for multiple reasons. On first glance, the sizable title is a direct nod to the era known for incredible naming conventions such as: “When I Go Out, I Want to Go Out On A Chariot of Fire”, “Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over”, “You Be The Anchor That Keeps My Feet On the Ground, I’ll Be the Wings That Keeps Your Heart In the Clouds”, and so many others. Musically, however, vocalist Connor Catchpole describes One Last Daybreak’s intentions best:
“….We decided that we wanted to go out and if we could make something that if we found that sound as kids, we'd be happy with it - that emo sound. Basically if we were ourselves, looking back and looking for bands and if we found ourselves as a band, and 'A Thousand Thoughts' - would we have gone "man, I like this...I like this, I could listen to this"....long story short, we loved that sound and we wanted to try and put our own identity towards it, and that's where our formation/sound came from..." - Connor Catchpole (The Dear Untitled Podcast - Ep #34)
The resounding chorus of “Old World Blues” carries this perfect momentum and somber aura ahead, matching the mid 2000s sound this band craves to replicate in their own fashion. Melancholic pauses, bound by the embracing strength of driving guitar, unleash a wave of sorrow as the lyrical emulation flawlessly unveils the the passion within. Hands down, this track alone makes the argument that setting the collection of ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ on repeat could never be a bad idea.
“…I’m longing for the innocence
I lost over the past few years
I’ve spent so long chasing the past
Hoping I’d find true happiness…”
-Excerpt from "Old World Blues" by One Last Daybreak
The reflective and refined nuances throughout this EP land precisely where the band hoped their art would fall: within the central heart of the emo genre. Taking their place among an esteemed lineage of post-hardcore/emo acts, One Last Daybreak has proven with ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ the ‘Emo Revival’ genre still has teeth among the bedlam of 2020. - Nic B
FFO: Silverstein, Senses Fail, Crashing, Am0ra, The Danger Of Falling, Escape the Fate, DRUGS, Avoid.
Previous Coverage:
The Dear Untitled Podcast - Episode #34: Feat One Last Daybreak