“We grew up on pop punk, so we’re all so happy seeing the genre resurgent these days,” says Charlie Boughton, vocalist of Farnham quintet Homebound, the latest addition to a UK pop punk scene currently on a steady course toward ‘thriving’; “To witness music that we’ve listened to for years make such a strong comeback has been huge in motivating us to do this band.”
“We think that it’s partly come about due to the hard work of bands like The Wonder Years, The Story So Far and Neck Deep,” enthuses the young frontman; “These bands have offered a more modern take on a genre that thrived in the ’90s, and are consistently bringing out quality releases that definitely push us as musicians to step up our songwriting, and I think this reflects on many other bands in the scene as well. We are all involved in what is a growing scene in the UK, one that we are excited to hopefully become a bigger part of.”
Tossing their hats (well, their snapbacks and beanies) into the ring with debut E.P Coming Of Age, Homebound have most definitely made a strong case for jumping the queue. Rounded off by guitarists Tom Mellon and Chris Wheatley, bassist Joe Durrant and drummer Sam Taylor, Homebound have spent a year behind closed doors, writing, writing and writing some more, until they were ready to share their infectious fruits with the world. “The majority of the release was written over the past year in Tom’s bedroom,” recalls Boughton; “Tom would write the skeletons with programmed drums, and we’d send vocal ideas back and forth… Overall we wrote about 11 tracks, and then focussed it down to the final six for the EP. And although it is just an EP, it feels like a hugely satisfying milestone for us. It feels like we have been writing for an eternity.”
Whilst Coming Of Age might initially seem a misnomer for the debut E.P from a young band, Homebound’s hook laden vocal lines aren’t without substance and context: “The lyrics deal with that time in life when you start having to make decisions regarding your ‘future’,” Boughton explains; “You spend your whole life up until around 18, knowing exactly what’s coming next. A path is mapped out for you, and you never really have to think for yourself. And I’m just like any person my age, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with myself… I still don’t.”
If Coming Of Age is any measure of what Homebound have in store, Boughton needn’t worry; he may well have found his calling. Get it for free via bandcamp.
Catch them on the free Ourzone Found Tour in September:
- 8th – Nottingham Rock City Basement
- 9th – Manchester Academy 3
- 10th – Newcastle O2 Academy 2
- 11th – Birmingham O2 Academy 3
- 12th – London O2 Academy2 Islington
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