★★★★★

It’s been a delight to listen to Lauran Hibberd evolve over the past few years. Pre pandemic the Isle of Wight rocker was riding a wave of excitement which included sets at festivals across the UK including the illustrious Glastonbury, alongside experiencing her first raucous moshpits at her headline shows. Whilst the last 18 months have unfortunately seen those live shows ground to a halt, Hibberd has continued to release a series of simply incredible singles that show artistic growth, whether that be her wittier than ever lyricism or her unrivalled ear for an incredible pop-punk melody.

There’s no better example of this than ‘Goobers’ first track ‘Bleugh’ which blends all of Hibberd’s talents into one package; a headbanging guitar riff that blows your face off, humorous spoken-word commentary and one hell of a chorus. Whilst there’s been many comparisons to the likes of Avril Lavinge and Pink (early 2000’s Pop-Punk days), Hibberd offers something truly unique in her style; unfiltered, honest and relatable raw energy. ‘Old Nudes’ for example is pure brilliance, from its chucklesome Slacker Pop verses with her laser point precise social commentary. I won’t ruin the incredible chorus for you here but the nods to Weezer in the song’s video is no coincidence when it comes to inspirations.

‘How Am I Still Alive’ with Lydia Night of The Regrettes meanwhile is the perfect blend of two strong powerful punk vocalists combining over a slamming riff, destined to become a live staple with crowds of thousands screaming the title. ‘Boy Bye’ swerves to a grungier aesthetic, once again the sort of track you’ll shout into a shampoo bottle in the shower.

‘Crush’ feels like a long-lost Blink 182 track (especially the first verses twinkling chords) as Hibberd vividly describes drinking coca-cola from a wine glass before erupting into a foot-stomping chorus. ‘You Never Looked So Cool’ meanwhile shows Hibberd’s softer side. Her previous EP’s haven’t been afraid to feature a ballad, a more toned-down track such as the fantastic ‘Shark Week’ from ‘Everything is Dogs’ and once again ‘Gobber’ is no exception. Hibberd’s voice has an incredible range, and she can provide just as much emotion on a more acoustic track as she can fury and energy on one of her trademark slacker smashes.

‘Goober’ feels like just the start of a thrilling new phase for the Isle Of Wight rocker. Each track is unique, showcasing a different style to Hibberd’s sound, she genuinely is a breath of fresh air and it’s the first time in a long while I’ve felt so excited by a rising star.

‘Goober’ is out Friday 30th July. You can catch Lauran Hibberd live this October at the following tour dates; tickets are available from her website here.

6th October - Manchester Deaf Institute
7th October - Leeds Key Club
8th October - Glasgow Garage
10th October - Bristol Exchange
12th October - Southampton Joiners
13th October - London Omeara

You can also read our recent chat with Hibberd about the EP in our first ever print magazine issue of ‘Presents’ - available to purchase here.