Two Times ShyIt Looks Better Than It Sounds (EP)

The feels are poppin’ and the melodics are boppin’ on It Looks Better Than It Sounds, the debut EP from Brisbane pop punks Two Times Shy.

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Forming back in 2021, there’s been a continuous notable level up from the Brissie quartet as they’ve boldly hurled themselves into 2023 with poise, polish, and purpose. Recently unveiling the anthemic single Tearing Up Inside last month, the lead up to the ultimate release of It Looks Better Than It Sounds has been stacked with promising glimpses into the end result; and this debut EP finds the Meanjin modern emo rising stars sounding better than ever.

Starting proceedings with a hard-hitting earworm, Two Times Shy embrace upbeat pop punk delivery with driving melodics on opening track Lonely, before swinging into more emotive territory on You And I, aka a track that’ll rip you right back to first loves, heartbreak, and yelling songs with the windows down. The EP’s midpoint comes via the band’s latest single, Tearing Up Inside, which offers a confident shift to a classic emo anthem, complete with raw guitars, sturdy beats, and a gripping outing from vocalist Douglas Hudswell. Baring their souls and momentarily showcasing their softer sides, It Looks Better Than It Sounds’ penultimate track I’m Ready This Time offers a blissful acoustic intro before building into another emphatic emo singalong, which initially treads in overly familiar sonic tropes before potently levelling up via some clever melodic and dynamic shifts. And if you loved what you heard at the start of I’m Ready This Time, you’re in luck, with It Looks Better Than It Sounds closing out courtesy of a blossoming acoustic version of Tearing Up Inside.

It Looks Better Than It Sounds is a must-listen for fans who like a bit of State Champs-esque emotive swagger (or similar) in their musical coffee, and undeniably marks a defining start to the Two Times Shy discography.

Covering throughout its diverse five tracks the highs and lows of love and relationships, with each individual track detailing its own narrative of manoeuvring matters of the heart, It Looks Better Than It Sounds does a fine job hitting the mark of an enjoyable and meticulously crafted emo-meets-punk adventure. While Two Times Shy may not be reinventing the sonic wheel on their debut EP, there’s something inescapably irresistible about their rejuvenated take on their overarching genres, and the quartet are definitely not shy about pouring their heart and souls into every moment of their new release – but without the cloying angst that usually comes with the territory. It Looks Better Than It Sounds is a must-listen for fans who like a bit of State Champs-esque emotive swagger (or similar) in their musical coffee, and undeniably marks a defining start to the Two Times Shy discography. 

STANDOUT TRACKS: Lonely, Tearing Up Inside, I’m Ready This Time
STICK THIS NEXT TO: State Champs, Mayday Parade, Sleeping With Sirens