Down And Outs are a band that I've been aware of for a while but haven't really checked out. After a little research I found out that they are three mates from Liverpool who are influenced by bands such as The Clash, Cock Sparrer, Leatherface and Green Day. In February they released a brand new album on Boss Tuneage, All In Vinyl, Yo Yo Records and Waterslide Records named Double Negative.
Double Negative starts out with Astoria. Here we have, in what I've discovered is the norm for Down And Outs, a fine sing-a-long punk rock anthem. It's that perfect no thrills punk rock that's so brilliantly easy to jump on board with and shout along to as loudly as you possibly can. Basingstoke is a song that feature a bit of social commentary. During the song the band asks are people happy that choices they make cause people pain and make the listener question their compassion. If you are someone who makes these choices and lack compassion then you are not the same as Down And Outs. I kind of feel like this is an anthem for the good people in the world to take a stand against the dicks and proudly say who they are. The third track, Shots, is one that deals with the important subject of mental health. Particularly the feeling that you have nothing left to give people and not wanting to be around anyone. This is one of those songs that is so much fun to sing along with and it will make you feel better for doing so.
You Can Have This Country Back took me a little by surprise on my first listen as it's led by a piano, reminding me a little of the Boomtown Rats but much much better. This different way of approaching the punk rock sing-a-long works really well here, giving the song an extra piece of emotion. The song is about being disgusted by the direction that Great Britain is heading as a country and not wishing to be a part of it. Something I'm sure that everyone reading this can relate to. This is a song that is designed to get people thinking and the way that the band have slowed things down helps brilliantly to create that feeling. The fifth song, Tea And Sympathy, sees Down And Outs revert back to their big street punk anthems. This band have an excellent knack for writing superbly catchy tracks that hook you so quickly. The harmonies between lead singer, Mark Magill, and drummer and backing vocalist, Morgan Brown (also of Pardon Us), are superb and only add to the sing-a-long qualities that the song oozes out. You're Still Here is about trying to deal with the loss of someone that you care for and questioning why it has happened but also realising that the person lives on through your memories. This is one of the more emotional songs on Double Negative, understandably given the subject of the song.
I loved the opening guitar playing of What Did You Do In The Culture Wars? It fills the song with energy immediately and in doing so I'm so pumped to see how the song progresses on. By the time Magill's vocals come in, you're sat on the edge of your seat in anticipation for them to drop and when they do you're in and ready to shout oh so loudly along. The song features some interesting melodies with the song stopping and starting making you think that you are listening to the next song and then, to finish the song off, the melody changes for one last arms-around-your-pals shout-a-long. Free is another song about loss. It's about a friend who struggles with mental health problems who sadly dies and their friends hoping that they finally feel free. It's a very sad song but I love the positive sound of the lines "well I hope you're finally free." It puts a bit of a positive spin on a devastating situation. Heartbreak Radio is one of many highlights on Double Negative. It's a song about finding strength in music after going through a terrible time. That's one of my favourite things about music, it offers such a brilliant form of escapism from the rubbish that everyday life can throw at you. This is something I'm sure everyone relates to even if you're not a fan of punk rock music. The gang vocals on the chorus are great and I can imagine this song going down really well at a Down And Outs gig.
The tenth song I Think I'm Falling Apart also features Magill on piano again - nice to hear it make an appearance in a couple of songs. It's the shortest track on Double Negative and is also the most heartbreaking. The song sounds almost ballad-like in its delivery and there is also a fuzziness in the vocals giving the track a raw emotional flavour. I Think I'm Falling Apart is about feeling as if your life is crumbling down around you after having your heart broken. About Time picks up the tempo and the mood. It reverts back to that fantastic sing-a-long punk rock that, to be quite frank, I really love. Down And Outs really excel at this style of punk rock. In a scene that's highly saturated with fantastic melodic punk rock bands it's refreshing to hear something that really stands out. The penultimate song, All In This Together, is a political number. It tackles the subject of class in today's society and questions why it is that the people with the least amount money are the ones hurting due to the economical mess that the country is in. The song could be used as a protest song with the chorus of "we're all in this together, why are we the only ones hurting" being used to rally people together. Double Negative is concluded with the song Norah Marie. Norah Marie is a short sing-a-long (obviously) looking back on the past and wondering what might have been. The example in the song being of an old love who is getting married and thinking about how it could, or perhaps should, have been you before coming to the conclusion that some things aren't meant to be. This is a lighter way to finish the album but is still one hell of an earworm.
Double Negative is an album containing thirteen fantastic sing-a-long punk rock anthems. It does everything you expect from this type of band and then some! This is one of the albums of the year so far from a band that I really wish I hadn't slept on for so long. Don't make my mistakes, check out this album.
Stream and download Double Negative here: https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/
Like Down And Outs here: https://www.facebook.com/Down-And-Outs-100972913255/
This review was written by Colin Clark.
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