On a gloomy day in a week that seems far too long, Driving in the Dark, the new EP from East Coast act Columbus is the perfect punky pick-me-up. This three-piece band has punk-pop down to a fine art. Combining a nostalgia for the genre’s glory days of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s with a fresh perspective, I can’t get enough.
The five-track EP starts with recent singles “Temporary Summer”, “Full Heart”, and “Pain is a Mirror” bringing new fans up to speed and reminding those of us who’ve been on the bandwagon for months just how good this music is. Things take a little left turn with “The Holiday,” with the band trading in the electric guitars for acoustic ones. It’s still got the band’s trademark energy, but it’s delivered with more sweetness. I love when the band is full throttle, but it’s exciting to hear them working with a different gear. Columbus cranks it up for the EP’s closer “Care About You”. It’s anthemic and glorious, the perfect final impression.
“I wrote the Driving in the Dark EP about learning how to love – my life, others, and myself,” frontman Alex Moses explained. “With each release we’re adding to the fire what Columbus means to us. This EP represents where we’re at right now. It’s been a wild time driving in the dark, but I think we’ve finally arrived.”
Driving in the Dark is out now. Columbus will play the following shows next month to support its release.
9 April 2022 – Crowbar, Sydney
14 April 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
17 April 2022 – North Gong, Wollongong
29 April 2022 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
30 April 2022 – Stay Gold, Melbourne
Images used with permission from Habit Music