I am not generally drawn to emo/pop-punk tracks but I’m making an exception for Leeds’ band Safeguard’s release ‘Sweet Pea’. This is because the song is heart wrenching, honest and emotionally raw to the max. It is ‘about vocalist Declan’s mother who passed away several years ago. It captures the overall feeling of grief and the instant aftermath of a sudden death in the family. The song describes the struggles of coping with loss at a young age and the impact that it continues to have for years to come’.
I have to applaud the band writing a song about something so personal, and something that is obviously still very raw.
As you can imagine from the song’s topic it comes with words that deserve your closest attention. They convey the story in words that are rawly heartfelt.
Musically the song does the emo/pop-punk thing as you’d expect but – and it’s a big but’ – it has that certain something that marks it out from the crowd. I’m finding it hard to define this exactly but part of it is certainly that it comes with a sense of ragged on the edgeness that is absolutely right for this song and makes it compelling in all the right ways.
Safeguard have make a heartfelt rawly emotional song that is going to lodge it self into your brain. ‘Sweet Pea’ is fantastic.
Before I close, a word about the video. It depicts old camcorder footage, taken from real life tapes from Declan’s childhood and his mum.
The info
Safeguard are a 5-piece emo/pop punk band from Leeds.
Declan – Vocals
Martyn – Guitar
Denholm – Guitar
Zak – Bass
Connor – Drums
