Since the release of Welcome To Breitenstein in 2022, things have been awfully quiet in the Homeplate camp. As a small-time independent artist in a world that doesn't always value music, this sort of thing can be a bit concerning for a fanbase. But as it turns out, the duo of David Newman and Cody Thompson has been hard at work on new music after all. The end result is some of their tightest and cleanest music yet.

As with Homeplate's last two releases, Thanks For Visiting is an EP that is short and sweet, yet impactful. So two of the tracks are quick interludes that each come in at less than a minute, the remaining five are ripe with the pop punk and easycore sound the band has become known for. The duo charges out of the gate, strong with "No Inheritance," wasting no time delivering tasty riffs, double bass, and a super catchy hook that just lodges itself in my brain. "Prison Culture" uses a similar formula, but with more emphasis on Homeplate's heavier side, even launching into a bit of a breakdown later in the song. The subject matter is as heavy as the sound, as it deals with our insufficiency in the light of the holiness of Christ ("Will I be a disgrace to this family once again … family of God, holy perfection / how could I measure up to any section / what can I do to rearrange / the hate, the grief, just more of the same / look in the mirror am I the one to blame?").

The EP is almost sort of sectioned out in three chapters, each having an emphasis on a different sub genre. After the interlude "Vagabond," punk takes the center stage. Every song here is strong, but "Separate Anxiety" and "Misery" are my picks when it comes to stand out tracks. They're fast and furious punk rock songs that bring to mind bands like Sum 41 and (to a lesser extent) The Offspring. "Misery" in particular is excellent, amping up the energy with more of a hardcore flavor in the back half and a message of encouragement to get back to what's most important ("Sever the ties that lead you into darkness and decay / let go of all the leaders who allowed us to go astray … I just want to know grace / feel the oil break on my face"). The second interlude, "Unsettled Debts," brings us back down a bit for "Fin," a closing track that is a lot tamer, but isn't out of place on this tracklist. It still has a nice alt rock edge and works well to bring things to close.

Though their social media was mostly silent, it's now clear that Thompson and Newman were working behind the scenes to make the best music of their short careers thus far. Thanks For Visiting is Homeplate at its finest. It's a swift kick in the pants and some of the best pop punk I've heard this year. This one might be on repeat for a while.

- Review date: 9/9/24, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: Small Step Records
Album length: 7 tracks, 14 minutes, 23 seconds
Street Date: September 20, 2024
Buy It: SmallStepRecords.com (CD/Digital)

1. No Inheritance (2:56)
2. Prison Culture (4:07)
3. Vagabond (0:55)
4. Separate Anxiety (2:07)
5. Misery (2:53)
6. Unsettled Debts (0:44)
7. Fin (1:41)