HIDEAWAY’S NEW SINGLE “RAIN CHECK (MAKE-BELIEVE)” IS AN INSTANT POP-PUNK CLASSIC

Canadian rock band Hideaway was born similarly to many of the pop-punk heavy hitters we know and love today—they began as a few high school friends who loved music. Playing music together provided a sturdy creative outlet and an escape from mundane daily activities. Everyone’s strengths are acutely highlighted in their anthemic single “Rain Check (Make-Believe).”

The song feels fresh, though identifiably pop-punk. There are elements of the “greats,” a la Blink-182, that won’t ever escape newcomers, but Hideaway’s new perspective provides a clean slate for the genre as it enters a new phase of life. Their geographical location helps them; the more influences a new artist has, the more robust their body of work eventually becomes.

There’s something magical about a choir of voices in the bridge, in the style of The All-American Rejects. Since “Gives You Hell” rose to fame, many have tried to replicate that high, yet few have come as close to achieving it as Hideaway. They can utilize pop-punk tropes while avoiding coming across as cheesy, instead authentically embracing their roots to tell their stories.

The single acts as a precursor to a forthcoming EP, and if this is indicative of the rest of the EP, fans should get excited. Hideaway has the potential to become a pop-punk staple, effortlessly crossing generational (and geographical) borders and adding color to the genre simply by existing authentically.