Album Review: Leave The Suburbs! by The Exhausts

The Exhausts are a three-piece band from Glasgow and London. They describe their sound as garage pop punk and have just released a brand new album on Everything Sucks titled Leave The Suburbs! 

Waiting In Line is the title of the opening track on Leave The Suburbs and the first word that sprang to mind when I first listened to it was ‘frantic’. Everything is done at top speed on this track; guitar, bass, drums and vocals never slow down but it remains incredibly catchy and really makes me want to dance. The same can be said about the second song Justify. This track features some great snarling vocals throughout, ably helped by some fantastic harmonies. The song itself is about people not being able to justify the things that they say and the frustration that brings. Third track Films & Adverts is one of my favourite songs of the year. On this track The Exhausts show a little more restraint and play a more melodic style. The dual vocals on the track are really what made it stand out to me; they give it a real party atmosphere. This is a song I need to see performed live! The fourth song, Comfort Zone Blues, shows a more held back vocal style than the previous tracks. The guitar work at the beginning of the song manages to grab the listener’s attention immediately. The song itself is actually about missing somebody who has left you. A Ramones-esque 1-2-3-4 begins the fifth track Andalucia. This is a fun, summer sing-along song. The sort of song where I can imagine being on a long road trip with my friends and really listening to this song and shouting along as loudly as we can.

Move To West Norwood And Never Leave starts out with a big drum roll and some catchy vocals that grab your attention immediately before carrying on into a busy pop punk song. The chorus is catchier than the common cold and the tune will get stuck in your head for days. The seventh track is titled Shame. Musically the song reminds me of really old school Descendents, from the ALL album era. Obviously The Exhausts distinctive vocalists keep the song sounding like an Exhausts song but the music feels much darker than anything else on Leave The Suburbs. Something Good has a more conventional feel to it. The tempo is slower and the whole song seems much more lyrically based. The chorus is again wonderfully catchy and the ending of the song is just fantastic. There is a small break down featuring a light rumbling on bass and drums that builds towards a big chorus to finish the song. The penultimate song is titled Journey To The Call Centre Of The Earth. This song is a full on snarling track of punk rock. Musically the song has plenty of short and stabby moments that pack some punch as The Exhausts sing about working in a boring call centre. I think it's a bit of a metaphor for anyone who works in a job they really hate and trying to find a way to escape. Leave The Suburbs finishes with a song called Sometimes. I was expecting the album to finish with a bit of a punch and this song certainly delivers that. With a drawn out musical intro that shifts from one melody to another before a song that has a very reflective feel to it really takes shape. The song builds towards a big finish with some great hooks and a massive chorus.

Leave The Suburbs is a definite contender for album of the year in my opinion. It's fast, fun and unique. I can't think of many bands that sound like The Exhausts and definitely none that sound this good. The Exhausts have seemingly come from nowhere with this release and I haven't stopped listening to it since I got it. Go and get it and you won't stop listening either.

Stream and buy Leave The Suburbs! here https://theexhausts.bandcamp.com/

Like The Exhausts on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TheExhausts