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| Source: @IncaseWeCrash on Twitter / © Kishan Mistry |
Following their formation in 2015, Incase We Crash have shuffled around their lineup a handful of times before ending up with 'the best group of dudes so far', Simon Austin, Tyler Twigger, and Alex Koval. A sturdy discography stands behind them, comprised of EP's like, 'Constantly Changing' (2017) and 'No Education' (2018) alongside thematic standalone singles like 'Misty May I' (2019).
There is no doubt that these guys have taken notes on the popularity of classic pop-punk technicalities before rolling up the scraps of paper and piling them into their pockets, but there's nothing wrong with that. As the age of generic pop-punk has been waning, being replaced by the likes of synth-pop or straight-up indie, bands like Incase We Crash are cherished. They droop their fringes in respect of the nineties birth of alternative music but ensure that they spice up what would otherwise be a dying brand, thus evolving their riffs and beats into a modern mutation of the genre.
Their fluorescent-sodden aesthetic dribbles into their music videos, of which cover nothing but lighthearted, fundamentally polished topics and visual filters. Incase We Crash are a youthful looking-glass for avid head-banging fans, shedding light on the core values of the alternative scene. Their videos alone scream 'don't take yourself too seriously' while their music remains buoyantly saccharine, perfectly embedding their somewhat elementary lyricism. There's nothing displeasing about direct lyrics - pop-punk was pretty much founded on the aggression and uncensored angst of sweaty dudes, after all. I'd rather scream along to writhing songs that unapologetically vocalise trauma or heartbreak in a vulnerable and minimally-crafted manner as opposed to dissecting every syllable for a modicum of emotion.
The moral of the story is that there is an endearing adolescence about Incase We Crash. Their comfortable maturity (they stripped back their acidic instrumentation earlier this year, releasing acoustic EP 'Acoustic Education') escalates them above the greasy tropes often associated with the scene. In conversation with the band, I began to understand that beneath the dynamic exterior of their works, there are deeper motifs and lyrical imagery (particularly to come) that can easily be missed amidst the plushy, animated delivery of their music...
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| Source: '12 Degrees' Official Music Video by Incase We Crash |
- INTERVIEW CONDUCTED WITH INCASE WE CRASH -
Introduce yourselves! Tell me a little bit about each member and how you came to form the band.
(Simon): Hey, I play guitar and sing. I started the band in 2015 with a few friends, we were inspired by the new wave of pop-punk (ie. The Story So Far) and we've had gradual lineup changed over the years that has lead us to the best group of dudes so far!
(Tyler): Hey, I play drums in the band. I like skateboarding and motorcycles, my favourite band right now is Movements!
(Alex): Hey, I play guitar. I just joined the band recently, I met these guys in the local scene years ago and became good friends, and joining this band was a natural choice for all of us!
Your recent release, '12 Degrees' follows the pop-punk style that bodes so well for you, but what encouraged you to release an acoustic EP earlier this year?
The acoustic EP felt like it was a long time coming, or something we 'should' do. We love when certain pop-punk bands do a little acoustic EP release between albums so we took inspiration from that.
If you were to design album art for an upcoming release of yours, what would you put on the cover to best describe the band and why?
Hmm, probably something that represents how we as a band are putting on this invisible layer of confidence in ourselves as people and as musicians. We'd want it to be presented in a way that others could relate to as well because you never know what people are going through, and it's that self-implemented layer of protection that can keep you feeling safe and self-confident through tough times.
Imagine a scenario in which you had to change the genre of your music overnight. What genre would you be most interested to venture into and why?
Indie-pop one hundred percent, we're in love with bands like The 1975, The NBHD, and although we take a lot of inspiration from them even now, there is a clear genre divide. It would be so cool to just do a completely poppy sugary goodness record with the imagery and style to go along with it.
You've been gigging a lot recently - what kind of reception do you get from the crowds?
It depends where we play, but we've been getting some good reception at various cities throughout Ontario. We just played a house show in Oakville and it was nuts, one of the best crowds we've ever had. We're also playing Ask A Punk in Ottawa and Montreal in October, we've had some great times out there before so we're super excited for that!
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| Source: @IncaseWeCrash on Twitter |
Do you guys name your instruments? If so, what are they called?
(Simon): I did name one of my guitars once, I bonded with it since I used it almost every show for the last one and a half years. It's a 1999 Gibson Les Paul Studio and it weighs a ton so I called it 'Beefcakes'. However, I'm opting for lighter guitars these days so it's been sitting at home.
Aside from that, we did name our van 'Cara' and you can go check out her Instagram at @carathevan.
If you had to get one of your own lyrics tattooed, what would you get and where?
Hopefully, we'd never be so egotistical as to tattoo our own lyrics on ourselves, it's like wearing your own band's merch for life. But, if we were forced to, I can think of one lyric that I could maybe tolerate - or say it's more of a motif rather than a lyric. However, the song's not released yet so I can't tell you!
Presuming you watch (or at least have a knowledge of) the TV show 'Friends', which character does each member of the band relate to most and why?
Absolutely, we've watched every episode! That's a really tough question as we're all introverts and pretty much the entire main cast is extroverted aside from Ross. However, none of us are really like Ross either!
You're playing Blackout Fest in October! If you were to tour with three bands from the lineup, which would you choose and why?
Seaway, Like Pacific and Boys of Fall. Kind of self-explanatory because they're the biggest acts on the bill and we love their music! But also because we've played shows with so many of the other local bands on the fest, and we're all homies at this point so it'd be nice to make more friends!
What's next for Incase We Crash? Anything your audience should keep an eye out for?
We're working hard on some behind the scenes stuff, we've also got a bunch of shows lined up for the fall, and you can definitely expect some new music before the end of the year!
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| Source: Amazon Music |
