EP Review: Urban Glow // TRASH

I first met TRASH‘s frontman, Daniel Longmore, back in July at Tramlines festival. Prior to that I had written about the band a couple of times and interviewed them over email. Whilst in one of the best venues Sheffield has to offer, Queens Social Club, waiting to see Shopping, we started to talk about TRASH’s new material which takes formation as an EP entitled Urban Glow. “I just don’t understand why it’s being released in September instead of August, as from what I can gather from ‘4 Miles’ it’s going to sound really summery”, I pondered. Longmore replied: “They decided to release it in September, so people can get that feeling of-” “nostalgia!” we both said at the same time. And nostalgic it is, in the most wonderful way possible.

‘Sad Boys (All I Wanna Do)’ begins with a shimmery stand alone melody line, which is eventually joined by a infectious drum beat and guitar parts that are drenched in reverb. The whole song jerks back and forth in a pleasant and satisfying manner, perhaps reflecting the way relationships usually pan out – there’s no denying ‘Sad Boys’ is a break up song. “I don’t want you to know me / if you’re just going to show me / how you moved on / ’cause you moved on”, sings a heartbroken Longmore.

Firm fan favourite and the first single spawned from the EP is the joyous ‘4 Miles’. Quite simply, it’s a bloody great pop song. More complexly, it’s the kind of track that’s great to listen to if you need a motivational kick up the arse – it fizzes and glitters with motivational energy that makes you want to get your life in order, a prominent message in the lyrics “ready or not here I come / tell me, what’s life when it ain’t no fun?” (as well as a coy, almost charming, sexual innuendo: “I bet you’re glad / that I managed to last”.) The track is preceded by what is appropriately titled ‘Intro’; 50 seconds of pure nostalgic guitar pop that perfectly embodies what TRASH are all about – hazy melodies, wavy reverb and gentle guitar chimes.

Continuing in the same realm of infectious uplifting pop tunes is ‘Urban Glow’, the song from which the EP takes its title. Admittedly, it’s not the best song on the EP, but it’s still a brilliantly catchy singalong song that can almost be described as groovy. It’s an ode to feeling comfortable and happy in relationships, as the lyrics proclaim “I don’t know what I’d do / if I didn’t have you”.

After a few listens of the EP, it becomes quite clear that ‘Drift’ is the stand out track. It’s one of those songs that sounds the way a lukewarm August night feels, one of those evenings when you know summer is coming to an end and school/college is looming on the horizon – when you’re feeling more down about everything than happy. Lyrically it’s very personal, the sparkly albeit downcast chorus being built around the following lyrics: “when will I get it right? / maybe tomorrow / maybe tonight” and then leading on to “when will I lose the fear? / maybe tomorrow / maybe never in a million years”.

The whole EP is reminiscent of early JAWS material, but TRASH aren’t a band who draw too heavily on influences – they’ve crafted a sound of their own, one which is wonderfully enticing and one that they should take full credit for.

Urban Glow is released today and I strongly urge you all to go and buy a copy!

Words by Emmie Morris
@_emmiem