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It isn't too uncommon for me to stumble across an EP that I put on rotation more or just as much as the full lengths the band releases. I was listening to one such EP tonight while showering and decided to try and catalog a few that really stuck out to me and maybe you'll find worth checking out.
// Author edit - I didn't expect this to turn out so long - so don't let my rambly fangirling dissuade you from checking out some of these artists/albums/songs.
// Author edit (2022) - updated gender :) <3
Here the list in artist alphabetical order.
Acid King - Down With the Crown
Belzebong - Greenferno
The Devil Wears Prada - Zombie EP
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Irony Is A Dead Scene
Glassjaw - Coloring Book
Glassjaw - Our Color Green
Incubus - Trust Fall
Møl - I/II (Remastered)**
Starcadian - Saturdaze
Tina Dico - Far
Tina Dickow - En Håndfuld Danske
Whores - Clean
Whores - Ruiner
These are just the EPs that I had saved on Spotify. I know for sure I am missing a few standout EPs.
** I/II is actually their first two EPs remastered in a compilation. Sue me.
Two artists grace this list from Denmark, and couldn't be more different. Møl, a "Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze" (thanks Encyclopedia Metallicum) and Tina Dickow, a Pop Singer Songwriter.
Jord - their full length is one of my top listens of 2019 and I/II (being remastered that year) is equally as good. Since they only have the one full length - this is a needed placeholder.
Both these records are fantastic and while this is technically a compilation of two of their EPs it's phenomenal... if you're into Post-Black metal (think Deafheaven).
I don't think she has shown up on any of my other music lists - but she's one of my favorite artists. She repeatedly appears on my Spotify Top of the Year playlists and it's in-part thanks to her EP Far.
The songs off of Far (2004) are included in her two full length albums Notes (2003) and In the Red (2006). But the versions included on Far are ever-so-slightly different and honestly just better. In fact her song "Warm Sand" has been re-recorded on both those full lengths and in its own single version! But won't ever be better than it's appearance off of Far. This record is in English and is mainly her vocals with acoustic guitar backed by a full band. It's a great mellow album. Probably in my top 10 if I ever made a list.
The second EP of hers I listed is in Danish and a fantastic listen. En Håndfuld Danske is a cover album of various artists songs - most famous of which is fellow Danish band TV-2's "Alt Hvad Hun Ville Var At Danse". What makes this EP standout is the recording. It's very intimate and warm. In fact on the track "Midt Om Natten" the entire track, especially the vocals, are recorded with what sounds like a very hot tube preamp adding this small bit of fuzzy breakup at the peaks.
At the very least, I would check out her cover of "Alt Hvad Hun Ville Var At Danse" it's beautiful.
Repping the tristate area! Woo woo! I am thankful to have had the pleasure of seeing both The Dillinger Escape Plan and Glassjaw live, multiple times each.
This band should need no introduction - Mathcore legends - The Dillinger Escape plan is the highest energy live show you could ever see live. And what better was this guest vocals EP was played live at their final show(s) in NYC in December 2017.
In between vocalists - this EP featured vocalist legend: Mike Patton. This EP is really out there. Intense, energetic, insane. Each of the four songs brings a different sound - When Good Dogs Do Bad Things being the most Dillinger of them all. And a cover of Aphex Twin's Come To Daddy to close the album out.
This also is on my top albums of all time list, and a must listen if you ask me. Turn your volume down before pressing play.
Glassjaw, a long island post-hardcore band, has released their most experimental work on their EPs, and without a doubt their best produced. Both of these EPs offer some different sounds, but are 100% Glassjaw. Our Color Green is probably my favorite of the two. Coloring Book just got rereleased this year and has reentered my rotation.
I included both of these because honestly they're amazing and I can't pass up a chance to promote Glassjaw.
At least according to what little info they have - they're from Brooklyn, NY. But who knows! If fits my narrative. Starcadian makes "ear movies" and are a welcome entry in the Retrowave genre. They're unique and not obviously aping of other popular 80s tracks. They were featured in my top albums of 2020 though Shadowcatcher wasn't quite as strong as this EP. Beyond this EP Starcadian has released a bunch of remixes on their Soundcloud of which Dark Horse is my favorite and something I pop on every now and then. But the best song is the single version of He^rt - which is featured on this EP. I don't see them talked about much and are honestly mindblowingly awesome! Trust me, one song and you'll be hooked! And at the very least watch the He^rt music video to get the aesthetic.
I wanted to call this one out in particular because this was a record I listened to a lot with my cousin and learned a few tracks on guitar. It has a nostalgia factor and is a cool concept album. I'm not really a fan of their other music but something about this EP just hit me. The EP is setup as a zombie outbreak each track building upon the story with Outnumbered opening with a radio broadcast about the outbreak. It's classic mid-2000s metalcore. But its a really cool concept album I come back to every now and again.
I didn't really expect nor want to make a specific call out of each of these - but it just so happens that a few of my favorite bands happen to also have some INSANE EPs that may go unnoticed behind their full length albums. That doesn't mean the remaining EPs aren't also worth checking out. Incubus' Trust Fall is leagues better than their contemporary music (for me) and was a real surprise how true to form the titular track (Trust Fall) and Absolution Calling were. Belzebong's Greenferno I listen to more than their full length and has a great opening track with a great sample. Whores has one full length and two EPs (listed here) and are quite intense stoner metal/rock. And Acid King's Down With the Crown wins the album art award for this list.
I was chilling out this evening listening to music when the realization that I have a lot of EPs saved and decided to write up this post. Then when cycling through them it sort of just unwraveled into this fanboying so I guess congrats on getting this far.
If you check any of these out and you really like some of them let me know! And what are some of your favorite EPs?
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