Album Review: Assemble by Still Alive

Still Alive are a four piece hardcore punk and reggae band from Chicago. The band, who are influenced by bands such as The Suicide Machines, The Flaming Tsunamis, Leftöver Crack and Choking Victim, are one I previously became aware of following the release of their 2015 album Choices. Now, going through the Bandcamp discoveries section, I found a new EP from Still Alive named Assemble which I was very keen to check out.

Assemble begins with the track Path To Collapse. This track definitely focuses on the hardcore side of Still Alive's sound. Beginning with some heavy guitars and hard hitting drums that get you headbanging immediately. When the vocals come in we are treated to some intense but clean vocals that are harmonised by the more ferocious, growling style. This really grabs you. As the song progresses it morphs into a skacore song before reverting back to an extremely heavy drop. This little ska break in the middle of the song was welcome and I kind of wish it went on for a little longer. Up next is the song Black Mirror. This track does fulfil my need for ska punk. It quite brilliantly mixes hardcore and ska. Starting out in a relentless manor, it's a circle pit opening start to the song. Things soon switch to the ska and you can hear the Leftöver Crack influence. The song is about missing days gone by where all communication wasn't done via your phone and you actually spoke to people face to face. The third song, Schedule One, is a superb hardcore track. Hardcore isn't really my punk genre of choice but I loved this song. It filled me with energy and had the usual mild mannered and calm Colin really wanting to charge around in a mosh pit. The ska guitars during the song's opening pull you into the song before the track hits you like a tornado and by its finale you are well and truly spent.

Static is another track that is almost all heavy hardcore fun but Still Alive use the ska element to their sound brilliantly to create a breakdown before building the song back up to its furious best. The track is about how the media portray the news to the consumer in a certain way that isn't always the way Still Alive feel like it should be. Jumpstart is a proper crack-rocksteady song and is my favourite on Assemble. Compared to the harder nature of the previous tracks on the EP, Jumpstart almost feels summery. It treads that fine line between feeling quite relaxed and also hitting you hard. I'm not sure how this is possible but Still Alive have pulled it off excellently. It's one of the more catchy songs on the EP, you'll quickly be singing along with the chorus with some passion. The penultimate song is the EP's title track, Assemble. This is another really strong song that jumps between relentless hardcore and wonderful skacore. I loved how seamlessly the two styles are linked up on Assemble, as if it's the most natural thing in the world. There is just so much passion and energy in the song that it's hard not to get swept away in the song. The track's message is a great one, it's about a community coming together and fighting for what they want. Finally we have the song Blueprints, finishing the EP off with a slower, more melodic song about going away and starting again with a better plan. It's a politically charged song filled with passion and anger. There is a finality to the song that also manages to leave you wanting much more.

I don't often review hardcore for CPRW, there are other members of the team who enjoy the genre much more than me. However, throw in a bit of ska and I absolutely love it. Still Alive aren't the most well known band here in the UK but based on the strength of this EP I can see their fan base growing this side of the Atlantic.

Stream and download Assemble here: https://stillalive.bandcamp.com/album/assemble

Like Still Alive here: https://www.facebook.com/StillAliveChicago/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Gig Review: The Gaslight Anthem at Hammersmith Apollo (The ’59 Sound 10th Anniversary Tour), 20/07/18 (by Emma Prew)

When formerly on-hiatus The Gaslight Anthem – arguably my favourite band of all the time and the reason I’m into ‘punk’ music – announced that they would be reuniting for a number of tour dates to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The ’59 Sound I knew I had to go. The ’59 Sound is not only the album that launched the band into the mainstream but it is also the album that most Gaslight fans hold most dear to their hearts – at least I do anyway, it changed my life. Even the fact that the London date of the tour clashed with the first night of ska punk festival, Level Up, at the New Cross Inn wasn’t enough to deter me – although I did feel super guilty for ditching my beloved DIY scene. (Sorry, Paul.)

Joining The Gaslight Anthem on tour was another of my favourite artists, Dave Hause. Dave brought his brother Tim along, no doubt to play an array of instruments because he’s that darn talented, and they were also accompanied by opening act and fellow American Matthew Ryan and his band. I didn’t know much about Matthew Ryan before seeing him live. Well, to be honest, I still don’t know much about him now but I know that I enjoyed his set. Obviously I didn’t know any of the songs but the sound was very much Americana-driven rock music which made perfect sense really with this line-up. I wasn’t particularly close to the stage – it’s tricky in a venue the size of Hammersmith Apollo – but there were plenty who were (duh!) and seemed to really enjoyed the band’s set. It was also great to see the, albeit large, room already well packed out for the first act of the night.

As Dave wasn’t over with the full band this time, it didn’t take long for the Hause brothers to take to the stage after Matthew Ryan. Armed with an acoustic guitar while Tim played an electric, Dave Hause launched into a 45 minute set which felt very much like his greatest hits – at least for me as a big fan of his and for most of the Hammersmith audience too. It was great that a ‘support’ act could evoke huge singalongs of his own, with songs such as Autism Vaccine Blues, C’Mon Kid and Time Will Tell proving the most effective. The Flatliners were actually originally scheduled to play this tour, rather than Dave and Tim, but had to pull out for personal reasons. I do like The Flatliners but I think Dave Hause will always be a better pick for a Gaslight show. Dave himself mentioned the 2011 Revival Tour that him and Brian Fallon had been on – the same tour that the t-shirt I’d chosen to wear that night was from – and dedicated a rendition of Prague (Revive Me) to those older fans, as well as the mighty Chuck Ragan. (Side note: We really need The Revival Tour to happen again.) I’ve always thought that Dave has a great knack for connecting with a crowd, regardless of whether it is him who is headlining the show, and this was definitely the case tonight. He and Tim also displayed the family’s musical talents by swapping between guitars, keys, mandolin, ukulele and, rather oddly, a melodica. The aforementioned ukulele and melodica being used for a triumphant, if unusual, version of anti-Trump anthem, Dirty Fucker, from Dave’s latest album, Bury Me In Philly. Finishing up with With You from that same album, the set ended on a huge high and I’d almost forgotten that we still had The Gaslight Anthem to come! Almost…

This was the first night of the UK leg of the tour but The Gaslight Anthem had done a number of anniversary shows in the US and I’d had a sneaky look at some of the setlists. Obviously the band would be playing all of The ’59 Sound but I’d seen that in some shows they’d split the album down the middle (sort of like the A and B side of the vinyl I suppose) and played some other tracks in the middle. I was hoping, and was fairly confident, that they wouldn’t do this in London. By this point I was feeling equal parts apprehensive and excited… I had set my hopes pretty high for this show and I really wasn’t prepared to be disappointed – thankfully, of course, I was not. Taking to the stage to an impressive applause, it was instantly apparent just how much The Gaslight Anthem mean to their fans. We were all, obviously, eager to hear our favourite album front to back but the band wisely kicked off their first London show in almost three years with a selection of other songs – easing us in. Starting off with Handwritten, from the band’s fourth album of the same name, before going super old school with We Came To Dance from their debut, Sink or Swim, Gaslight got the crowd singing and dancing right away. As they played the next two songs of their set, both from American Slang, I began to eagerly wonder if the next song would be Great Expectations and therefore signal the start of The ’59 Sound. Thankfully this was the case and the wait was finally over – although not before one of Brian’s trademark rambles – and when the first chords of the first track from our beloved album were strummed the room exploded (metaphorically). If the crowd at the Apollo had been excited before, they were now absolutely over the moon. I have to admit that seeing and hearing the reaction of those around me just made me all the more enthusiastic. I love this album more than any other album and it was brilliant to see that I’m not the only one.

I’m pleased to report that they did play the full 12-track album without much of a break between each song – they really only allowed a brief pause for the crowd to clap and woo after each song. The performance from the band was flawless if you ask me (although I might be slightly bias) and didn’t seem in the least bit rusty from their time on hiatus. The singalongs that the songs evoked were incredible – I personally have not sung like that at a gig in a long time. Not everyone in the crowd was perfect however, at these sized venues there are always going to be the idiots who are too drunk and can’t clap in time or are constantly on their phone to upload photos and videos instantly to Instagram (despite also singing along so it’s not like they don’t love Gaslight too). At any other gig this probably would have hindered my enjoyment of watching the band but it was The Gaslight Anthem playing The ’59 Sound so, in the moment at least, I didn’t care. In fact, I didn’t really care about anything else in the world except singing along to my favourite songs. When the last notes of The Backseat, the final song from The ’59 Sound, rang out I was feeling very content with how my evening was going but the Gaslight boys had plenty more in store for us. The remainder of their set consisted of a few perhaps lesser played but classic tracks such as Wooderson, 1930 and Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts, as well as a couple of newer songs (I think only one from their last album, Get Hurt, though which was fine by me because I never did get into that album). It was big hitters 45 and American Slang that received the largest reaction from the crowd but, being the (relatively) old school fan that I am, I really appreciated the band’s decision to end with We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Diner. Who doesn’t love yelling ‘Stay hungry, stay free and do the best you can.’ along with your favourite band of all time?

What a night. What a band. What an album.

The end.

This gig review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Woof by Forever Unclean (by Dan Peters)

Float sits proudly around the top of my at home vinyl collection. The Copenhagen based gruff pop punks in Forever Unclean created one of the best independent EPs of 2017 and now we’ve been graced with Woof, a new 5 track record for our listening pleasure. So without further ado, let’s dive in.

I didn’t go into Woof expecting a vast maturation of the band given that they only dropped a belter on us last year but against my expectations the band crafted something crisper and more polished than everything that’s come before it, while retaining every ounce of fun and energy that has so endeared them to the CPRW crew before. This shows to me a band that is on a steep upwards gradient in terms of talent and ability and, if they haven’t been on your radar before, get some Forever Unclean in your ears and prepare yourselves for a treat.

If you know Forever Unclean then as soon as opener Sleep hits you’ll know what you’re getting from the outset. For the uninitiated, expect finely crafted tunes, with requisite breakdowns, plenty of woahs and fun time gang vocals throughout. I find it hard to imagine a person alive listening to this without having a smile one their face. Songs like Words are infinitely enjoyable and it works well as a standalone single but more so as part of the whole that is Woof.

Everything about Forever Unclean is charming and filled with positive energy. It feels like every song is jumping out at me through my headphones. I can only imagine that they are an incredible live act if they manage to fit this much feeling into an audio recording. That’s something I’d like to confirm pretty soon given half a chance.

Woof is a stellar entry into what is growing to be one of the best skate/pop punk discographies going right now. Gruff vocals, tuneful riffs, good time breakdowns and charismatic choruses abound in the brief time you’ll spend listening to this band. 11 minutes out of your day that will be incredibly well spent.

Stream and download Woof here: https://disconnectdisconnectrecords.bandcamp.com/album/woof

Like Forever Unclean here: https://www.facebook.com/foreveruncleanband/

This review was written by Dan Peters.

CPRW Playlist: July 2018

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Dan, Emma, Jack, Omar, Richard, Robyn and myself have been listening to this July.

Top Tens: Top Ten Punkest Things Chunky Has Done by Ollie (Mean Caesar, Myelin, Great Cynics and Till The Wheels)

Hi, I’m Ollie. I play in Mean Caesar, Myelin and Great Cynics and I run Till The Wheels. Colin and Emma asked me to contribute a Top Ten for their website. I have friend called Chunky (Crystal Piss drummer) who has done at least ten punk things. So here’s my “Top Ten Punkest Things My Friend Chunky Has Done”…

1) Pissed On Me
The first time I met Chunky was at my 23rd birthday alldayer at the King Edward VII in Norwich. It was a cool line up; The Mingers, Vanilla Pod, The Frontline. Chunky came down with The Frontline from Lincoln and our mutual friend Jonesy introduced us. Chunky instantly said “I’m going to do something to annoy you” which made me a little concerned for the chap’s self-esteem. As we continued talking he began pissing against a lamp post and pissed all over my leg and shoes. Later he knocked over all my CDs in my room. A decade on we’re still friends and we still trash eachother's shit.

2) Chased Naked Through Peterborough
This one is a tough remember. My buddy James Hull from Apologies, I Have None reminded me of it in the pub the other day. There used to be an annual punk fest in Peterborough called No Fest run by Jordi from Evil Macaroni / Sammi’s Fatal Mistake / A Great Notion. It was a total sesh and everyone was staying at Jordi’s. I’m not sure who said what to Jordi’s house mate, but it was Chunky that ended up getting chased naked around the cul de sac with a cricket back. Maybe others who were there could shed some light in the comments?

3) Andy P.
When he was at Uni in Sheffield he made everyone call him Andy P. and he’d drink litres of cider and try and start fights with people before telling them he’d never been in a fight before. He did that to me; I wasn’t very well but it was very funny and very punk.

4) Crying to Sam Russo
When me and Chunky lived in a punk house in Peckham called Astbury Castle, at least 3 times a week we’d drink Cockspur Rum at the kitchen table until the sun came up arguing about which Leatherface album to listen to interspersed with Chunky singing and crying to Sam Russo’s album, Storm. If you think I need to justify this as being “punk” you didn’t go to Astbury Castle and you’ve never stayed up for the sun rise drinking rum with Chunky listening to Sam Russo. It’ll be the equivalent of Don Letts or John Robb being interviewed on Channel 4 in decades to come.

5) The Kitchen Table.
Years after we’d all moved out of Astbury Castle there were some new people living there that we kind of knew. We all ended up there really pissed. Chunky was always known for manning the kitchen table and on our old kitchen table we all had our names carved in it. Chunky carved his name in massive letters on their new kitchen table. He apologised for it and gave them money for a new table after there was some brutal fall out and threats of violence, but we all regret that he apologised and wish that we had a street war over the table – especially me because that would’ve been great for this countdown of Chunky’s Top Ten Punkest Things He’s Done.

6) “I Want You Around (Chunky)”
Great Cynics did a brilliant song about Chunky and his table on their 3rd album “I Feel Weird”. The music video they put out with Giles skateboarding isn’t the video that was supposed to have been made. The original video was meant to be following Chunky around London or something. The shoot started at something like 7 am but, with Chunky being as punk as he is, he preferred to stay in bed smoking rollies and have pizza for breakfast. Fuck ’em.

7) Tattoos
Chunky will tattoo you with whatever’s round the house. Here’s a picture of him tattooing me. I’m passed out.

8) The Bouncing Souls Tour
In 2017 Great Cynics did 5 dates in the UK with The Bouncing Souls. It coincided with Chunky’s birthday and both me and Giles have always talked about taking Chunky on tour in all our respective bands, so he came along to do merch etc. On the first night he punked out, got drunk AF, made The Bouncing Souls merch guy do our merch and flicked their tour manager in the head. Made things pretty awkward but by fuck was it punk.

On the third day of the tour Giles, Bob and our friend Rachael went to pick up the car from The Brudenell. Me and Chunky were still just waking up because we were being mega dickheads in a squat in Leeds the night before. As they were coming back to the squat some loony smashed the front off of Bob’s partner’s car. It was a very scary situation. Our friend Rachael looked after us and got us to the next show. After that day, Chunky became punk in the helpful kind of way and turned into super TM. A punk for all seasons. Would tour with again.

9) Long hair don’t care
Chunky had his hair real long for a real long time. He’d tell people they should get it “long and strong” and make Biblical references to Sampson and Delilah, shit like that. After a few years I fancied it and grew my hair out. As soon as I did he cut his hair and said long hair was stupid and unprofessional. Giles did the same actually. I think it was a real long game punk joke. Quite sophisticated for a practical joke. Now we all have short hair.

10) Bill and Ted’s Benefit
Chunky had two terrapins; Bill and Ted. He rescued them from some ass hat. He threw a benefit show to get them a bigger tank. My old band, It’s Not OK!, played along with Pacer and some other cool bands. It was at The Miller in London Bridge. He made some money for the tank, but he just gave it to the bands and hooked Bill and Ted up out of his own pocket. So, he threw a dope party AND paid for the tank himself. Punk move.

Bonus material: Big Boy Wee. Chunky always does a big boy wee like in them Blink 182 videos.

You can catch Chunky doing big boy wees at any Crystal Piss shows or at the big Weatherspoons in Forest Hill.

All my love.

Jugs x

Album Review: The White Album EP by The All Brights (by Emma Prew)

I knew close to nothing about The All Brights when their music video for Last Blue Text started playing on YouTube after another had finished a few weeks ago. I didn’t switch it off and the next day I checked out their latest release, The White Album EP – the fact it is on Red Scare was persuasive enough. I’ve had it on fairly regular rotation ever since but all I really knew about the band is that they are based in California, certainly don’t take themselves too seriously and they like surfing (and/or other beach-based sports).

Just before starting this review, I took to the Google to try and find out a little more about this band. I’m glad I did as it has saved me from looking like a complete nincompoop and saying ‘The vocalist sounds a lot like Dave Hause of The Love Ones.’ – because it turns out it is Dave Hause. Also featuring members of Good Riddance and Murderland, The All Brights could be considered somewhat of a supergroup. Anyway, enough of the backstory, on with the review…

First up is Maximum Hangtime, a short, fast and immensely fun pop punk tune about making the most of the sunshine – let’s face it, there’s a lot of that if you live in California (or the UK at the moment – as I write this, it hasn’t rained in about 6 weeks) – and just having the best time hanging out with your pals, preferably at the beach. It’s a simple concept for a song but damn it’s a good’un. A must have track for all of your summer playlists. The aforementioned Last Blue Text is next and it takes a slightly slower pace than the first song, as The All Brights talk us through a modern social media scenario. So, you’re into this girl that you’ve been following on Instagram and have started exchanging messages – iMessages, that is – when all of a sudden she ditches Apple and gets an Android phone. No more blue texts. Like I said, The All Brights are not a band to be taken too seriously! Sort of like Masked Intruder but with Hawaiian shirts instead of masks.

Completely taking me by surprise on my first listen, the third track on The White Album EP is a super skankable reggae number called Midwest Fuck Me. It shouldn’t work so well after the previous more pop punk style songs but it really does. As well as getting me nodding and swaying along in my seat, Midwest Fuck Me also features one of my favourite choruses of the EP – ‘How the fuck did I end up in Ohio? I should have gone to college in Hawaii-o, I should have stayed in California where everything’s irie, Now I’m one thousand miles from the sea.’ Exchanging the reggae vibes for the more familiar pop punk again, The Ballad Of Me And My Funds (great title) is next up. Not content with singing songs about social media and surfing, this tune is about people who use their excessive funds to buy their way into social groups – and the people that encourage it. If you’ve got plenty of money then you’ll definitely be happy, right? There is a bit more of an edge to this track with the instruments seemingly being played harder – plus there’s a sweet guitar solo two thirds of the way through.

I’ll waste no time beating around the bush, Stand Up Pat L. Board is my favourite song on this EP. I don’t know all that much about surfing or paddleboarding but I gather that some surfers look down on paddleboarding as a lesser watersport. This track, however, sticks up for paddleboarders worldwide in such a feel-good fashion that I feel uplifted myself despite having never tried either sport. The song is just so darn catchy! Stand Up Pat L. Board is also the song that I think makes the best use of all three vocalists. So good! Then, bringing the EP to a close, comes the ukulele-lead I’m Buying A Boat. It’s another change in tone and pace that I wasn’t expecting but it turns out it was just what The White Album EP was missing. I’m Buying A Boat is a break-up song of sorts in which the guy at the centre of the story decides the best method to get over the girl is to ‘buy a boat and sail out to sea’. No break-up story would be complete with just one side of the story however and after a steel drum and ukulele interlude we get to hear the lady’s point of view – spoiler alert: she’s not fussed and has been cheating on the guy with his best friend. So much drama and a fine end to this surprisingly awesome, comical little EP.

Check out The All Brights on Facebook here and you can stream and/or download The White Album EP on Bandcamp here now.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Half-Empty Glasses And Despair by Rich Widows

When you get an email from a band from Belgium who describe themselves as "not your average punk rock band. Picture Jawbreaker, Dillinger Four and Pegboy hanging out in a dive bar" it really makes you want to check them out. That's exactly what I did and it proved to be a wonderful decision. The band in question are named Rich Widows and they are a five piece who formed in 2017, in Mechelen. Back in April they released their debut EP titled Half-Empty Glasses And Despair. From that title alone I'm sure you can guess the theme of the EP.

The EP starts off with the song Wrong Direction. As you might expect from the bands mentioned above, this is classic mid-tempo gruff punk. There's a warm, whiskey fuelled raspy vocal, a rumbling bass line, melody driven guitars and a pounding drum beat. It's not reinventing the wheel but it's also really hard not to get swept up by the song. I think this is mainly due to the simple and catchy line in the chorus of "we are heading in the wrong direction" which gets the gang vocal treatment. The second song, Faceless, sees the tempo pick up and with that so does the urgency. The track wastes no time in getting going at all with the vocals coming in immediately. They are given the job of carrying most of the melody for the track as the guitars and drums rip through the song at some speed. I really enjoyed the urgency of the song, it made me feel like the band are really passionate about what they're singing about.

The Fighter was the real stand out track on my first listen of the EP. Beginning with a grumbling bass line before we get into a gang vocal heavy section. The vocals are delivered in a way that is crying out to be sung along with. Unfortunately, due to the production quality, the vocals are quite hard to make out but it doesn't stop me wanting to throw my fists up in the air with the band. The penultimate song is named Like Tennessee and it's another stand out track. Pace wise it's quite speedy but also feels like the song that has the biggest hooks. Again I just wish the production was a little clearer so I could get fully invested into the song. I particularly enjoyed the song's ending which features some great guitar riffs along with a melodic and passionate vocal. Last up is the track Motel Room. I was really hoping that Half-Empty Glasses And Despair would go out with a bit of a bang and it certainly did. The track starts in a melody driven manor before building towards a big gang vocal chorus. I do love me a gang vocal chorus – I may have said this a million times on this blog. After a few listens, I think that this is probably my favourite of the five songs. The overall sound of the track resonated more with me and left me wanting more.

Despite a few issues with the overall sound and production of the EP, this is an incredibly promising debut from Rich Widows. They clearly have a knack for writing a good hook and this is the kind of gruff punk that I, and many other people, adore. I'm intrigued to see how the band progress in the future.

Stream and download Half-Empty Glasses And Despair here: https://richwidows.bandcamp.com/

Like Rich Widows here: https://www.facebook.com/richwidows/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Comfort In Distraction by Irish Handcuffs (by Emma Prew)

Irish Handcuffs are one of those bands that I don’t know why I didn’t listen to sooner – it’s not like I hadn’t seen their name before. Formed in 2011, Irish Handcuffs are a quartet from Regensburg in Germany who play what they refer to as three chord songs but I would describe as excellent gruff punk. They’ve played The Fest in Florida and Pouzza in Montreal, toured with the likes of No Use For A Name, Lagwagon and Boysetsfire and yet I only just checked them out when I came across their three track EP, Comfort In Distraction, on Bandcamp – the Righteous Indignation artwork might have had something to do with my clicking play. Of course, liked what I heard…

First up on Comfort In Distraction is Breathe Sleep, a melodic mid-tempo punk rock banger to rival the likes of Red City Radio or Elway. The verses are steady as they lead wonderfully into an immensely singalong-able chorus – ‘And I’ve got time to waste… All I need is another lifetime, Don’t let it slip away, Killing time is a capital crime, When you end up doing time.’  Breathe Sleep is about trying to make the best of the time you have, letting go of the past and focussing on today. This is really top notch stuff. Following on from Breathe Sleep in a rather furious fashion is Said And Done. The melody remains but it feels like the guitars have a slightly harder edge that wasn’t so apparent on the first track. This time I’m reminded of The Menzingers but there’s also hint of Alkaline Trio in the vocals which I didn’t expect to hear – a pleasant surprise. Said And Done is about trying to remember the good times but also accepting that we, humans, aren’t perfect and we often end up making the same mistakes time and time again. ‘I remember all the best words that you said, And all the fun we had, the times we spent, And it’s not easy just to bend and not to break, ’cause we just keep repeating our mistakes.’ The last track in this trilogy is called Miss The Aim, with the quick drums kicking things off ahead of the guitars Irish Handcuffs aren’t hanging around here. When the vocals come in, however, it seems like we might get a slightly slower paced finale but, oh no, the slower pace doesn’t last long. This is another upbeat singalong with themes that I’m sure will be highly relatable for many listeners. Lyrics such as ‘Don't you say it out loud, Put on a smile, Get a drink, Shut your mouth.’ and ‘The days go by, We lost our way, Maybe it’s never going to be okay.’ suggest that Miss The Aim is about coming to terms with mental health problems. An extended instrumental outro and one last muffled but anthemic chorus sees the song fade to its finish in style. 

Comfort In Distraction is out now on Fond Of Life Records, Shield Recordings and Get Party! Records. You can stream and download it on Bandcamp here and find Irish Handcuffs on Facebook here.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Top Tens: Chris from Fintan Stack's Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

Runrig
The first music I ever really loved was this band. It won't win me many cool points, but I don't care. My Dad always hated them and dismissed them as a 'Scottish U2' - what an insult! U2 never had hooks like 'Every River' or 'Dance Called America'. The first live band I ever saw too.

Billy Bragg
I was introduced to Billy Bragg by my Dad when I was 10, he'd taped a live recording off the radio. Billy Bragg hasn't written a good song since about 1991 IMO, but his classics still sound as strong as ever and he is quite rightly looked up to by most bands across our scene.

Sam Cooke
Another singer I have loved since I was a child. I remember once watching a Sam Cooke documentary where they were interviewing his brother and playing 'A Change Is Gonna Come' and his brother said "now isn't that the greatest voice there ever was?" - I simply thought "yes".

Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind's self-titled album often makes top ten lists for people in my music world, it's easy to see why. Outside of being full of radio hits, some of Stephan Jenkins's lyrics are amazing and surprisingly dark.

Blink-182
I heard 'What's My Age Again?' in the summer of '99 and was blown away - I didn't know music like this existed. I'd heard similar bands in the years prior to this, Green Day and Offspring for example, but they never did it for me. I found those bands boring and uninspiring. I bought 'Enema Of The State' and loved every song on it, that had never happened before. I remember being at school and wanting to go home just so I could listen to it.

Counting Crows
I still listen to 'August And Everything After' all the time, I love Adam Duritz's voice, his melodies and his lyrics.

MxPx
I have to thank Blink-182 for this one, it's because I got into them in 1999 that I discovered my favourite band of all time the following year. MxPx are the greatest band in this genre comfortably. They went from being one of numerous NOFX impersonators to become trendsetters. The mainstream press still ignores them, but they continue to be loved by those familiar with them in our world. After 26 years together, they're still making awesome music.

Good Charlotte
First heard them on Napster when they had their first single ‘Little Things’. Saw them at the Barfly a couple of years later. If you ask anyone I know, they’ll tell you how much I love the Maddens. There’s a huge surge in their popularity right now but I still feel like they’re very underrated.

Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an amazing Americana/folk singer and songwriter. I love this kind of music and she is probably one of the best at it.

Social Distortion
I’m ashamed to say that I came to Social Distortion late, probably around the age of 23. But I’ve still had well over a decade to get to know their music properly (I even have their logo tattooed). It’s Mike Ness, I don’t think I need to say any more!

Chris plays guitar in Fintan Stack. Check them out on Bandcamp here and like them on Facebook here.

Album Review: Logistical Nightmare by Just Say Nay

With Level Up Festival just around the corner I figured that I should get properly acquainted with some of the bands playing that I'm not so familiar with . One such band is Just Say Nay. Just Say Nay are a nine piece ska punk band from London and Kent. Their last new release came out in October of 2017 and is titled Logistical Nightmare. I assume it is named so because of the difficulties in having so many people in a band. Now, normally we wouldn't review something that came out so long ago but this EP was so much fun – I just had to!

Logistical Nightmare begins with the song Pass The Cloud. The beginning of the song showcases pretty much all you need to know about Just Say Nay's sound. Some shredding guitar and some irresistible brass grab your attention quickly and it's not long before your feet are tapping and you’re fighting the urge to get into a full skank. Go on, just do it anyway, it's fun. I loved how the song shifts between tempos seemingly at will, given the song a bit of a "who knows what's going to happen next" vibe. This again is perhaps being down to having so many members. Interestingly with so many people in the band, the song doesn't feel cluttered and like Just Say Nay are trying to shoehorn the all the different parts in for the sake of it. It does feel very natural. Up next is the song Jiggy Bean which is a total summer time ska punk banger. Lead singer Jak Coleman's chilled out sweet vocal is perfect on the song, particularly on the chorus where you are transported to one of those wonderfully relaxed summer barbecues. There is a section when the speed of the song really picks up, it's as if somebody punched the red button and the JSN horn section jumped into light speed.

KPSD begins in a similar way to Pass The Cloud with some shredding guitar and wonderful brass. The brass section are the undoubted stars of the show during the song's opening. Really adding a fun bounce to the song. From there the song transitions into a bit more of a serious sounding song where Jak sings about trying to improve himself as a person, as well as trying to live the best life possible. There is an urgency about the song which I really enjoyed, showing that Just Say Nay are just as capable of playing a more chilled out style as being able to add some oomph to their music. The fourth and final song on Logistical Nightmare is named Mr Plank Goes To Town. It starts out with some more superb horns – seriously are there many better horn sections in the UK ska scene that Just Say Nay's? When they're not blowing your mind when they're at the forefront of the song, you can hear them adding this superb extra layer of sound in the background with Jak's vocals. The song features a superb mix of fast ska punk and the odd touch of reggae that gives the song many ups and downs. It takes you on a bit of a rollercoaster ride that will have you singing your heart out and dancing as if your life depends on it!

Logistical Nightmare is a great release from one of the best up and coming ska bands in the country. It shows a group of amazing musicians and songwriters who have come together to create something really awesome.

Stream and download Logistical Nightmare here: https://justsaynay.bandcamp.com/

Like Just Say Nay here: https://www.facebook.com/Jsnska

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Leopards by Fair Do's (by Brett Coomer)

Fair Do’s arrived on my radar at the very start of the year with the final band announcement for MPF 2018. Thanks to Colin’s recommendation I was immediately hooked on their 5 song EP Trying Times. I was excited to be seeing them at MPF and really hoping for a new release from them soon.

Fast forward a few months and the quartet did not disappoint, putting on an exceptional show at MPF and finally announcing their debut full length, Leopards. The highly anticipated album was recorded with Dave Boothroyd at Reel Recording Studio over almost two years’ worth of weekends and will be released by Lockjaw Records. I was excited by and jumped at the opportunity to preview the album and write a review.

The Queen of England starts the album off with an excerpt from a 2016 speech to the houses of parliament. Described as “most gracious” on the UK government website, her words are gradually drowned out by building guitars and drums culminating with a surrounding whoosh to kick things into gear.

There’s no holding back, right from the opening track ‘Royal Flush’. It offers some well-placed jabs at the royal family, its outdated traditions, unnatural hierarchy and its involvement in the economy and politics of the country. After the first song ends with a nice little flurry of notes, ‘Distress Call’ is introduced with a slower drum beat, overlaid with some nice guitar and bass riffs. One of the slower songs on the album, it provides a change of pace while still keeping up the energy.

‘Cowabunga’ is probably my favourite song on the album, combining both technical brilliance with some catchy hooks and a title referencing one of my favourite TV shows as a kid. Flawlessly flowing between some techy riffs and beautiful melody, the song encapsulates everything I love about punk. I can’t remember if they played it live at MPF, but I feel that it should definitely be a staple in their set.

If you’re not sure what to expect from a 6+ minute hardcore punk song, Fair Do’s have got you covered. ‘Hanging’, with a gut-punching minute and half intro that fills the space around you, builds into a song that brings all the best parts of Fair Do’s together, including a 35 second guitar solo that makes you want to lift your fret hand into the air and wiggle your fingers with joy. The song has just the right amount of everything needed to keep you captivated to the end.

‘Closing In’, which is the first single off the album, starts off with a catchy and pop-punky melody and then drives into a fast, technical skate punk song with a message of getting through difficult times and choices, staying positive, and always moving forward. It’s a great choice for a single and would be the song I’d choose to put on a mixtape. ‘Hostile Company’ was released with an accompanying video back in 2016 and is one of the more melodic songs on the album. With an impactful “pre-chorus” and some great sing-a-long parts, the song fits in perfectly with the rest of Leopards.

Following two single-worthy songs is the hardest and shortest song of the album. ‘Candleman’ definitely has a more hardcore feel, channelling the likes of Raised Fist showing us all that Fair Do’s are not going to be slowing down any time soon.

Maybe to offer some relief, ‘In The Mean Time’ starts with a slow intro, but it quickly escalates into some technical verse riffs separated by great breakdowns. The guitar work makes me think of Protest The Hero but definitely still with a Fair Do’s flavour.

The last two songs make sure the album finishes strong, ‘Lose My Touch’ includes some frantic stop-start riffs and a masterful melody, putting it on par with the catchiness of songs like Hostile Company. This is fast, technical hardcore punk at its best.

The final song, ‘Carried Away’, is a great way to round off the album (and apparently started with a Facebook post about St George’s day and the ridiculousness of being proud of where you’re born.). The song showcases the technical abilities of all the band members, and although technical ability doesn’t mean much if you can’t use it to construct a good song, this is something that Fair Do’s have proven not to be a problem for them throughout the album.

Despite the long and spread out time taken to write, practice, and record the album, all of the songs fit together cohesively and there is nothing that feels out of place. The band shares song writing duties and it’s clear that all of the members hold themselves to a high standard, delivering a tight and finely tuned collection of songs that exceed the expectations of a debut with ease. The vocals delivered by Danny, Josh and John are a perfect fit and all come together to create the Fair Do’s dynamic sound.

Not enough can be said about the musicianship on display here, I have seen some videos of Dave playing guitar and it is awe inspiring. His talent, as well as that of the other members, is evident throughout the album. The complex nature of the songs on Leopards is proof that each band member is at the top of their game.

Branded by many as skate punk, Fair Do’s also add some hardcore and metal into the mix to create something quite unique. While listening I can’t help but think of the number of influences these guys bring together, taking cues from the best of hardcore and punk while they precisely execute their melodic but not-straightforward brand of skate-hardcore-punk.

Whichever label you’d like to brand Fair Do’s with, Leopards is a fantastic album by a talented bunch of guys that showcases just how great the UK scene can be. It’s one of my favourites this year so far and I highly recommend pre-ordering it and checking them out while on tour.

Pre-order Leopards here: https://lockjawrecords.bandcamp.com/album/leopards

Like Fair Do's here: https://www.facebook.com/fairdosband/

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

Album Review: True Capacity by Astpai (by Robyn Pierce)

Austrian melodic-punk rockers Astpai released their new album, True Capacity, on 22 June via Jump Start Records and Shield Recordings. I first heard of Astpai back in 2013 when they released a split 7” with The Flatliners, which turned out to be a good introduction to the band as they share many similarities with the Flats – including an affinity for combining high-powered melodies with uniquely textured vocals. Astpai have also often been compared to None More Black, because of the similarities between vocalist Zock and Jason Shevchuk. The Flatliners and None More Black are two of my absolute favourite bands, so you know I took to Astpai quite easily once I found them. But, while Astpai do share a certain likeness with these bands, they also bring a distinctly European flavour to their songs and are in some ways closer to a band like Antillectual in their ability to maintain both a fullness of sound and an underlying rawness in their music.

‘Rotten Bait’ opens the album with some delicate arpeggios, then slowly builds up the sound with more urgent drumming, and throaty ‘woahs’ before heading into an uptempo song with a driving melody. It’s a fantastic beginning, which really sets the tone for the rest of the album and includes many of the qualities that pop up all over True Capacity – like the mixture of shouty and smooth vocals, and engaging variations in rhythm and pace. ‘Lottery’ follows this up with a more playful, straight-forward melodic punk track about the role that luck plays in life’s ups and downs, and ‘Best Years’ completes this opening trifecta with an ultra-catchy pop/skate punk inspired banger that I’m sure will be a fan favourite at shows.

The band really shows off its skill and versatility in songs like ‘No Hero’, ‘Feel Your Pain’, and ‘Falling Trees’. ‘No Hero’ and ‘Feel Your Pain’ are both mid-tempo tracks that glide between faster and slower sections, picking up the different dynamics of a particular mood or emotion. The vocal harmonising at the end of ‘Feel Your Pain’ is a particular highlight. ‘Falling Trees’ has an increasing momentum that effortlessly pulls you down into the melody. I love the little guitar flourishes in this song, and Zock’s vocals are just amazing. Chris Cresswell assisted with the vocal production on True Capacity, and I think you can hear his influence here in the way that some vocals are filled out while other lines are left relatively raw.

‘True Capacity’ is a bit of a standout track in that it’s closer to hardcore than to melodic punk. The heavy, raspy vocals lend intensity to the lyrics about reaching breaking point because of an oversaturation of information and news. It’s a common feeling in today’s world that I think Astpai have captured well. In the next two songs, the album returns to a mid-tempo, melody-driven sound. ‘Saving Up’ takes you on a ride into middle-aged malaise, beginning with the line “I’ve got two tickets on this southbound train for me and my despair”. Despite this seemingly sad topic, it has a great central hook and an awesome key change towards the end. ‘Wear and Tear’ is another poppier track, which even includes some well-timed claps. The guitar in both these songs is quite bright and fun, and I’m reminded of None More Black because of the fantastic contrast between this playfulness and the ultra-gruff vocals (and the clapping here is reminiscent of NMB’s ‘Peace on Mars, Cause you Ain’t Gonna Get It Here’). The album ends strongly with ‘Body Parts’, which begins with some heavy and resonant guitar before kicking into a more fast and technical midsection. It feels like a finale, with lots of ‘woahs’ and a driving drum beat to finish.

With True Capacity, Astpai have continued their trend of putting out really high-class, technical, and engaging melodic punk. They offer the perfect blend of punk heaviness, grit, and intoxicating melody; and the work that they’ve put into this album can be heard on every single track.

Stream and download True Capacity here: https://shieldrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/astpai-true-capacity

Like Astpai here: https://www.facebook.com/ASTPAI/

This review was written by Robyn Pierce.

News: Manchester Punk Festival Announce 2019 Dates

There was a huge piece of new s for UK punk fans this week. Manchester Punk Festival announced the dates for next years festival. The fifth edition of MPF will take place between the 19th and 21st of April 2019 - Easter weekend and will now be three full days! In previous years MPF has been headlined by bands such as Propagandhi, Iron Chic, Paint It Black, The Flatliners, Strike Anywhere, Lightyear and Citizen Fish. It also plays host to some of the best of the current crop of UK bands such as Ducking Punches, Wonk Unit, Apologies I Have None, Martha, Darko, The Spook School, Roughneck Riot, Crazy Arm, The Burnt Tapes, Throwing Stuff, Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man and many many more! There will be more information on tickets, venues and bands coming in a few months. Like the MPF Facebook page here to keep up to date with future announcements here.

Column: Colin's Picks For Level Up Festival 2018

The best ska punk festival in the world – Level Up Festival – returns next week! The three day event, which takes place at the New Cross Inn in South London, is co-promoted by Be Sharp Promotions, Fishlock Promotion and El Topo Bookings. The original plan for this piece was to do a rundown of the entire festival but Makky Hall of Broken Arrow Magazine has already written a superb preview of Level Up so I feel like the Internet doesn't need another – you can check that out here. Leo of Just Say Nay also wrote a hilarious alternative preview which you should check out here.

So rather than me writing another lengthy preview, I decided to do a top ten picks for the festival. Obviously headline acts such as Random Hand, Lightyear, The Toasters and Dave Hillyard & The Rocksteady Seven will be highlights, as will Faintest Idea, so it seems kind of silly to include them on the list. I've picked ten acts that you might not be so familiar with but you should definitely check out!

Call Me Malcolm
You may have heard this already but Call Me Malcolm released the album of the year when I Was Broken When You Got Here dropped in the Spring. I haven't been able to see any of the songs from the new album live yet as I missed the album launch due to illness, I'm still gutted. Seeing them back at the New Cross Inn, which is essentially their home ground, will certainly more than make up for that. Call Me Malcolm will no doubt be a highlight of the entire weekend.

Codename Colin
Codename Colin are having a big year. This summer they've already performed at Slam Dunk Festival and supported the Popes Of Chilitown at their album launch party. Now they're back at New Cross Inn to entertain the crowd with their high tempo and energetic ska punk. In true ska punk tradition, Codename Colin aren't shy about putting in some unique covers into set along with some superb originals.

Easydread
I don't think I've seen any band more times in the past couple of years than I have Bedfordshire's Easydread. According to my super cool spreadsheet I have to track all the bands I've seen over the years I've seen Easydread five times in the past eighteen months and each time they've blown me away more than the last. This will be my first time seeing them in London and I'm looking forward to seeing them wow the New Cross Inn like they have me so many times already.

Filthy Militia
Filthy Militia are one of my favourite discoveries of 2018. Their debut EP, Innocent Until Proven Filthy, is one of the best released this year. Unfortunately I missed their launch party earlier this year, due to being double booked, so I'm really looking forward to finally catching them live. Mixing the best elements of ska punk, two tone and reggae, the five piece are certain to gain plenty of new fans at Level Up. Make sure you're there early to catch them!

Koala Commission
Belgium's Koala Commission were the only band on the Level Up line up I'd not heard of before. Naturally I jumped onto Bandcamp to check them out and discovered a band that blend ska, folk, polka, punk and plenty of other styles to create something fantastic. This nine piece are likely to be one of the most impressive acts of the entire weekend. They're going to be loved!

Just Say Nay
Just Say Nay were one of our favourite bands from last year's Level Up Festival so I was very pleased that they were chosen as one of only three bands returning to the line-up this year. The eleven piece were so much fun to watch live with their bouncing horn lines and big sing-along choruses. The band are regulars on Be Sharp Promotions ska shows so I expect to see a very enthusiastic crowd for Just Say Nay. I'm also hoping that they play their cover of Cabin Fever from Muppets Treasure Island again. Please!

Last Edition
Emma and I have a playlist on Spotify which we call Upcoming Gigs. Can you guess the theme of the playlist? A band that's popped up a lot that we've always thought "oh, I really like this" is Last Edition. Last Edition have actually been going for ten years and I'm yet to see them live so I'm really excited to see some happy, summertime ska pop from this band from Leicester. I can already imagine the sun shining through the New Cross Inn's massive windows as the Level Up crowd joyously have a dance to this great band.

The Pisdicables
Last year's Level Up Festival was The Pisdicables' first show back following the tragic death of their organ player Mike Crampton. This year's Level Up will be The Pisdicables final show before they take an extended break from playing shows. The New Cross Inn is certain to give them a massive send off as they are a much loved band at the venue. The Pisdicables are a band that show that all ska doesn't sound the same with some fast paced reggae vibes and plenty of South East London charm.

Pokémon Liberation Army
We all love Pokémon, right? And we all hope that they are looked after properly, I assume? Well that's what Bristol's Pokemon Liberation Army aim to ensure. This band are one I've wanted to see live since I first heard about them a few years ago and now I finally have the chance! I'm particularly looking forward to hearing their re-work of the classic Toasters song Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down – Don't Let The Bastards Catch 'Em All. This is going to be a fun one!

Toodles (Toodles & The Hectic Pity Acoustic)
This was a surprising announcement but also a very exciting one. Toodles & The Hectic Pity released one of my favourite EPs last year and I've been itching to see them live. I didn't expect my first time to be an acoustic show at a ska festival. I'll take it though. Toodles plays more of an folk punk style rather than ska, with songs that feature great hooks and big sing-along choruses. Toodles & The Hectic Pity are one of the most exciting new bands in the UK so make sure you take the chance to see them in these more unique of circumstances.

That's ten of my picks for Level Up Festival but in truth the line-up is so stacked I could have written at length about every act of the line-up. The other day we were at the New Cross Inn looking at the poster trying to decide on the best day of the festival. We never came up with a decision as it's packed with amazing acts who deserve all of your attention. Be Sharp, Fishlock and El Topo have done an incredible job putting this line up together. This is going to be one of the best weekends of the year, one that I'm likely to bore my friends by talking about it for a long time. See you there!

You can still buy tickets for Level Up Festival here. You really should!

This column was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Chris Fishlock of Fishlock Promotions and Level Up Festival's Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

Not in a particular order…

WILL TUN AND THE WASTERS/IVO
Like many, I first got into punk through discovering Rancid’s “…And Out Come The Wolves” and getting into such bands as NoFX, Operation Ivy, Choking Victim etc. through personally and politically relating to the music but it wasn’t until I was 19 that I feel I properly discovered punk lifestyles and the DIY scene. Meeting Will Tun and the Wasters in a small pub in Reading when they supported Tyrannosaurus Alan (a band I discovered a year before, supporting Sonic Boom Six) was the first time I went to a small DIY punk show and I guess it opened my eyes to it. I ended up going to see Will Tun and the Wasters a lot that summer and becoming good friends with them, it helped me see how a DIY punk band worked and how bands can survive without having to be a “big” band on a label and getting on TV etc. If I never became friends with people such as Joe and Ivo from WTATW I definitely wouldn’t ever had started putting on shows or moving to Bristol and my life right now would probably be very different. I include Ivo as an influence under this bracket as well, he used to put on a lot of the DIY ska shows in Reading before me and I guess his mentality and way he organised shows was a direct influence on how I wanted to put together shows, i.e getting your mates together and having a good time! Importantly also a lot of these times the main aim of everything was just to have fun with your friends and that is certainly one of the most important things about life.

SHITTY JOBS AND BEING DEPRESSED
A lot of what drew me towards punk shows was basically just not having a good time in life and needing some more from life and something more alternative. Going to shows, either locally or to take the train out of town and the first one back in the morning, to hang with a bunch of mates and see some cool bands at a house show became my much needed escape from reality and a lot of the time was the only time I actually felt ok. When I first started putting on shows I was working a shitty job in a shop for minimum wage, getting shit every day for mundane things such as not stacking shelves fast enough. Getting involved with the punk community and putting on shows definitely gave me a place in the world and it was just what I needed at the time. How much I hated my job and my shit mood definitely spurred me on a lot to be proactive with organising shows and pushing that part of my life as much as I could.

FAINTEST IDEA
The first time I ever put on a show it was mostly just intended as a 21st birthday party for myself, however I had been thinking about the idea of organising my own show for a bit but very much doubted my ability to. When it was leading up to it I was just about starting to flake out of the idea, and then Faintest Idea replied to my e-mail offering them to play – they were well up for it and just needed £100. Guess I was putting on a show then. There are many fond memories I hold with that night but one of the best things was my new friendship with Faintest Idea, the day after the show Dani text me saying something along the line of “if you can pull off a banging night like that you should just be a promoter”, this gave me a good bit of encouragement to do more shows so that text alone is an influence in itself. Also just generally getting to know Faintest Idea over the years and their mentality to running their band is a good influence. They are non-stop and hard-working, always up for touring, having new experiences and have a lot of fun along the way while being able to also push their political message.

CHEWING ON TINFOIL
If you’re reading this, and you know me, I certainly don’t have to explain just how deeply I love this band. I find Chewing on Tinfoil an inspiration on just how much they hate the actual music industry (ha). The first time I organised a show for them I hadn’t done that many shows, maybe 3. I was absolutely miffed why a band quite as good as them would let me sort them a show but however they are always happy to take a chance on people. One of the first things that really made me respect them was when organising the show they refused to take an actual “guarantee”, they said how much money they ideally needed but made it clear if the show bombed they certainly wouldn’t be demanding money out of me. Their general attitude has always been great, I had only ever put them on at one tiny show in Reading when I e-mailed them and offered them to come from Dublin to play Reading again for my second Fishstock. The fact that they replied and were totally up for it was so fucking cool and I still really respect the fact they did that. Chewy always look out for people and most importantly just want to play fun shows and write incredible music, this year when they came over to make their return to Fishstock (now much bigger and in Bristol) they literally just came over for the one show, basically just to hang out and have fun. It’s not about getting big and pushing their band, they make good, honest music, which is how it should be – no bullshit.

JEFF ROSENSTOCK
I can’t even remember how I got into the music of Jeff but I think it was mostly through Bomb The Music Industry. I definitely find the way Jeff does things a big influence, from the way he ran BTMI (spray paint t-shirts and all ages shows) to the way he supported bands he loved through Quote UnQuote Records, giving wide and easy access to a lot of bands that wouldn’t have got much recognition otherwise (I remember downloading the first Chewing on Tinfoil album from there!). Even now that he has started allowing himself to actually make a bit of money from music and releasing through bigger labels such as Polyvinyl, he still does things his way and doesn’t bow down to what is expected in the industry – such as his surprise release of most recent album ‘Post-‘ online for free at the start of this year. It’s also cool to see him doing bands such as Antarctigo Vespucci mostly just to have fun with friends. I love the note on their album – “Altogether this record cost roughly $300 to make. You should make a record too.” If people haven’t already seen it I very much recommend watching the documentary “Never Get Tired: The Bomb The Music Industry Story”, it’s the sort of film you watch and then immediately want to start a band.

THE BRISTOL PUNK SCENE
The first time I ever visited Bristol, I ended up being taken to see The Sporadics at The Red Lion and then Magnus Puto at The Attic Bar and both of those shows I was kind of overwhelmed by the crowd. I was deep into promoting in Reading at that point and, although most of my shows were well attended, I realised that if I put those bands on in Reading I would have less than a third of the crowd. Inevitably I ended up moving to Bristol. Although now I think I’ve done pretty well for the local scene, when I first moved it was very daunting organising shows with already so much going on and so many promoters – I didn’t want to tread on any toes. Fortunately the vast majority of people involved with stuff are very friendly and helpful, there isn’t much ego going around just people wanting to make cool shit happen. Even though there is sometimes an over-saturation of shows, active people are very supportive of each other and everyone tries their best to work together. It’s cool seeing stuff happen, from people setting up squat shows to seeing venues such as Exchange run in such a pro-music manner – everyone is doing it for their love of it!

MAINLAND EUROPE TOURS
If you have been lucky enough to tour around some of the mainland Europe countries then this is preaching to the choir. They really know how to do things over there, you can rock up to a random squat in a random Dutch town and they will give you a few crates of beer, have loads of delicious homemade food for you. The gig will be fun, everyone will be friendly and buy your merch, you’ll have a cool place to crash, you'll meet some amazing people and at the end of the night they will put a load of Euros in your hand. It’s so good. I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with a few tours as well as booking some myself and it never ceases to amaze me just how well people get treated there and how incredible a lot of their spaces are. It’s a stark difference from touring the UK and every time I get home from one I’m a mixture of inspired to do cool stuff and depressed that I’m no longer on tour. It’s the best possible experience you can have and seeing the way some shows are run over there definitely makes me try and bring an influence of that with the shows that I put on.

TOMAS KALNOKY
I often think I can achieve more but then sometimes I also think I’m too young or too old and can achieve nothing. Someone who I find a big influence in being productive (even if it's what feels like 1 zillion years between album sometimes) is Tomas Kalnoky, for example how utterly brilliant is the song-writing of the album Keasbey Nights? That album came out when Kalnoky was a few months into being 18 I believe Which in the time it takes to record, produce and release an album, you can assume that pretty much all those songs he wrote before he was 18? How mad is that, some of those songs are absolute perfection and the fact that he can write an album that well at such a young age should be an inspiration to all. Along with this the powerful music of Streetlight Manifesto and the poetic lyrics Tomas writes have certainly helped me through some pretty hard times and for that I’ll always hold him up as someone I have upmost respect for. Also respect for anyone who flees a country to avoid military service and anyone who spends a large amount of years, money and energy to get away from a maniac big label who just fucks bands over constantly while coming out the otherside owning all the masters for your own music and keeping your band going independently!

OUR BAND COULD BE YOUR LIFE BY MICHAEL AZERRAD
This is the best book about music ever written. In great detail it takes you through 13 bands on the American indie underground scene between 1981 and 1991, including bands such as Black Flag, The Minutemen, Sonic Youth, Fugazi and a bunch more. All these bands were pre-Nirvana so didn’t get that chance for much wider appeal in the 90s. That means many of them were very much slogging it in small vans around the US, all these bands were doing it for how much they cared and were into the music and this book perfectly chronicles it. It shows the incredibly DIY and personal nature of these bands which is the interesting and influential part of this book. This is a must read for any band keen on going on tour and doing things their own way. A particular band I learnt a lot from in this book is The Minutemen, I very much appreciate their ‘We Jam Econo’ mentality, where they tried to survive on as little money as possible to push their band forward. In a day when your band can only get successful through paying for big PR campaigns and booking agents etc. I think that The Minutemen existed and said you don’t need loads of money or musical ability to write some interesting songs and go on tour and be a band – it is certainly inspiring. On the subject of The Minutemen, it’s definitely also worth watching the documentary on them called ‘We Jam Econo’.

FRIENDS
I definitely don’t mean the TV show! I mean that my actual friends are the biggest influence on me. I’ve already talked about Will Tun and the Wasters, Faintest Idea and Chewing On Tinfoil so maybe I’m rinsing this a bit but, more so than anyone that I’ve grown up idolising, my friends are what really keep me going. Ever since my first show I’ve had lots of friends pat me on the back and give me encouragement to keep going but also bands I’m friends with keep making inspiring music and doing inspiring things that I can’t help but be influenced by these things myself. Seeing people such as Paul Smith smash out constant massive shows at New Cross Inn, Faintest Idea touring Japan, Captain Accident supporting Toots and the Maytals on tour, all my friends doing well either on a big or small scale is always good encouragement to keep going and making cool stuff happen. At Fishstock this year, part-way through Cistem Failure’s set, I was presented with a picture signed by many friends at the show and to see those nice messages from people saying to keep doing what I’m doing is so nice. I can get down and jaded a lot and it’s always bands that I’m friends with who help me through and pick me back up and the fun shows we have full of friends make me realise just how important this stuff is. On Friday night just passed, as I write this, a team of us had organised a show for Austeros’ last ever show and the actual night filled me with so much love from and for people that it really reminds me that I should keep going. Collaborating with friends is great, having a full venue where most people there are your friend, having a band like Austeros care about you enough that they’ll play the song they stopped playing over 3 years ago that you’ve been bugging them for ever since as their encore. It’s moments like that I live for and influence me to keep going – the night before I took the words ‘I’ve Got This’ from an Austeros song and had my friend stick-and-poke tattoo them onto my arm. Those words will live there forever as a reminder of how great this community is and how we should keep hold of it and keep going. Even when I feel hopeless, I will know that thanks to my friends, I’ve got this.

Check out Fishlock Promotions here: https://www.facebook.com/fishlockpromotions/

Fishlock is also one third of the promoters putting on Level Up Festival in South London on 20th–22nd of July. Check out all the details you need for the festival here: https://www.facebook.com/lupfest/

Album Review: Never Look Back by Swan Prince

Swan Prince are a four piece pop punk band from Redditch. The band, consisting of Rachel Blewett (guitar/vocals), Jamie Ruston (guitar), Dan Marr (bass) and Josh Stockwin (drums), only formed in September of 2017 but are quickly making a name for themselves throughout the UK's underground punk rock scene. In June they released their debut EP Never Look Back. Knowing that Swan Prince are influenced by some CPRW favourites in the form of Bad Cop Bad Cop and The Bombpops, I was keen to check out Never Look Back.

Never Look Back begins with the song Disguise. This is everything you would expect from a melodic pop punk song. Immediately the melody catches you and hooks you into the song, like a fisherman with a tasty bit piece of bait. The song really comes into its own when it gets to the chorus. It's one you'll learn the words to very quickly and will remain in your head for a long time. Disguise is about learning the truth about someone and seeing through the pretence they have been putting on. The New Normal has a bit more of a downbeat feel to it and maybe even a slightly darker sound. Blewett's vocal reflects this as it doesn't hit the same highs as it did on Disguise. That said, it's a song packed with hooks. The "whoa-ohs" that begin the song quickly have me wanting to see where the song goes and I feel like they'll be fun at a Swan Prince live show. The New Normal is a track about dealing with mental health issues and trying to accept them in your everyday life.

Running On Empty brilliantly blends skate and pop punk. The band play hard and fast as an accompaniment to Blewett's sugary sweet vocal. Musically I'm sort of reminded of Pennywise, which is not something I really imagined I'd be saying about a band who describe themselves as a pop punk band. Josh Stockwin's drumming really stands out here. The final song is titled Find The Answer and is about trying to solve life's problems and to be happy. I've said many times on CPRW that I love when a final song on a release feels like a final song and Find The Answer definitely does that. There is a wonderful moment of building on the outro of the song that adds a feeling of epicness to the track, giving it a big feel.

Never Look Back is an EP that showcases a band with a huge upside. Swan Prince have written four great pop punk tracks that are not only great fun but lyrically very important. They help you to see that you're not alone and there are many people going through the same thing as you. The more bands that do this the better! Are Swan Prince on their way to becoming the next big thing in the UK punk scene? Perhaps it's too soon to say but I wouldn't bet against it.

Stream and download Never Look Back here: https://swanprince.bandcamp.com/album/never-look-back

Like Swan Prince here: https://www.facebook.com/SwanPrinceBand

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: TRVTH by O’Holy Ghost (by Emma Prew)

O’Holy Ghost are a relatively new London-based four-piece that we have been aware of for a little while at CPRW HQ. Colin and I saw them play The Burnt Tapes’ EP release show (for Alterations) last summer which I believe was one of their first gigs together as a band – if not their actual first, I can’t quite remember. I do however remember that I really enjoyed watching them play and so when Colin mentioned to the team that he’d been sent their debut EP I was keen to take a listen. Featuring five brand new songs as well one that was previously released (on Spotify, at least), TRVTH is out on the 13th of July. Here’s what I thought of my early listen…

Kicking the EP off is a song called Across The Pond and, as this is the first ‘single’ from TRVTH, you can actually already listen to this one online – which you should, because it’s great. I was a little surprised when I first hit play on this track as I’m fairly certain that alongside the opening guitar melody there is some harmonica, adding a touch of folk to their straight-up punk rock sound that I recalled previously. If so, then you can consider me pleasantly surprised as I love a bit of harmonica – but I could also be completely wrong and it’s a guitar or something. The song is for the most part a relatively mid tempo one but that doesn’t stop it from packing a punch. Across The Pond is an anthem for escapism with the chorus offering a big singalong opportunity supporting this theme – ‘Let’s go anywhere, With anyone, Across the pond.’ What a great start. Next up is the aptly titled Grunger. I say aptly as, in contrast to the first song, this is quite a grunge-sounding number to begin with. Featuring a heavy bassline and some steady but firm drums, Grunger starts out with quite a slow pace. The opening vocal lines, which sound very polished and clean compared to the instruments, are distinct – ‘I’ve been trying to figure out, Why I’ve not been sleeping…’ As the song progresses, the instruments seem to get louder, faster and more intent – I was definitely doing a bit of headbanging whilst listening. Lyrically, O’Holy Ghost focus on repeating several lines such as those mentioned earlier and ‘You kept me up all night.’ There’s a great distinction between two vocalist in Grunger, particularly at the end when each voice is singing different parts, which works really well.

I Am A Jinx is the song I was referring to in my intro as having been previously released – and therefore I had already listened to it prior to hearing the full EP. Thankfully I love the song so am more than happy to see it included on TRVTH. Picking the pace up, I Am A Jinx has a lovely instrumental introduction that is a bit reminiscent of Iron Chic which is never a bad thing. The vocals, however, are not so Lubrano but they are delivered with such a great intensity and bring a feeling of urgency to the song. I Am A Jinx is about feeling like you’re always making a mess of things and bringing bad luck into certain situations. The highlight of the song absolutely has to be the bridge which starts out very softly as the two vocalists sing alternate lines of ‘Don’t you know the songs we sing, Don’t mean a thing to anyone / Chords and melodies forgotten, I was hoping you would sing along. (x2)’  before the intensity is once again cranked up for a superb singalong moment – ‘Well don’t say that it’s over, When the pen has run dry and you scream, Just one more verse.’ As if fuelled by the previous song’s fire, the fourth track, Tio, doesn’t waste any time in kicking off. The opening line of ‘Hey Tio, Good to see you’re doing well.’ is more yelled than sung but it’s passionate rather than simply being raw-sounding. Tio, slightly oddly, reminds me of Great Cynics and their song Want You Around – Chunky. Musically, the two songs are not all that similar but both tracks seems to be written about dear friends. This song is basically O’Holy Ghost’s way of telling Tio that ‘It’s good to know you, It’s nice to be known, And if you’re drinking, You won’t be drinking alone.’ Who doesn’t appreciate an honest song about friendship?

Saudade is the title of the penultimate track and, I must admit, I had to look up the word to even know what it meant. ‘Saudade’ is a word of Portuguese origin that means a feeling of longing, melancholy or nostalgia. Personally I love a bit of that in my punk rock. The song opens with a big catchy guitar riff and it isn’t long before those true punk rock singalong-inducing verses and choruses come into play. Despite the title of this song, it actually feels like the opposite of melancholy and more like an angry and defiant gesture against those that might want to drag you down. I dare you to listen to the chorus and not want to sing along – ‘We’ll do this forever, We keep telling ourselves that we’re doing just fine, We’ll do this forever, To the end of our days, And I swear I’ll see you in hell.’  Unfortunately that brings us to the last song of TRVTH, Divorce. Anger and frustration vented in the last song, Divorce begins with some pleasantly jangly guitars and some soft ahh-ahh-ahhs that feel more indie or dream pop than punk rock, at least until the slightly more rough-around-the-edges vocals come in. It’s a combination that not only really works but sounds fresh compared to the rest of the EP – in fact, the whole EP has a very nice variety in sounds. Of course, with a title like ‘divorce’ this is going to be a somewhat bitter track but it also offers up the idea that you can be forgiven for your mistakes and that you are not necessarily a bad person because of things you’ve done. ‘You’re not the first, You’re not the last, My friend you are forgiven.’ 

O’Holy Ghost are playing a free entry release show for the EP on Thursday 26th July at The Cavendish Arms, London, with Sam Russo, Mean Caesar and Modern Shakes. Check the Facebook event for all the details.

Like O’Holy Ghost on Facebook for updates on where you can find TRVTH when it is released on 13th July!

This review was written by Emma Prew.