Album Review: Heavy Seas by Misfortune Cookie (by Richard Mair)

When Bear Trade called it quits in 2017 shortly after releasing the wonderful “Silent Unspeakable” it was easy to assume that, despite their pedigree and the affection with which they are held with, it wouldn’t be long before the various members started cropping up in other bands. What was probably most surprising about this is that three of the bears (Callum, Peter and Lloyd) would join forces once more to release a Bear Trade-esque slab of melodic punk rock fronted by the exquisitely talented Helen Chambers – more known for her folk punk inspired singer songwriter tendencies than rocking out as a gruff punk leader – and, to top it off, it’s not just the sum of its parts but excels in every possible way!

Fans of Bear Trade will no doubt be on board with Misfortune Cookie already however fans of Timeshares, Iron Chic, Hot Water Music or The Gaslight Anthem also will certainly find something to love amongst the earnest anthems on offer.

Opening track “Party” is pretty much standard for what can be expected across the 10 tracks. First off, the vocals – gone are the gruff throaty tones, replaced by one of melody, vulnerability and character and boy does it suit the music, adding something very different to what is a predominately beardy-male approach to punk (saying this as a beardy male punk). There is so much to love about the delivery from the pronunciation of “Party” with quite a hard “e”; genuinely no one sounds like Helen Chambers and I truly don’t think anyone could, the country / folk twangs and lilts flow through the album giving it a real charm. The song itself is about finding ways to cling on to a loved one and it’s a really good relatable song which sets the tone for Heavy Seas. Fast paced, easy to sing along to and excellent musicianship throughout (the bass line by Lloyd is gorgeous, in particular)!

Next up is “All Dogs Are Nina” and this, to me, is one of the most obvious Bear Trade-infused songs on the album. From its chugging guitars and rolling drums, it has that really anthemic Leatherface feel that you’d expect from a Northern punk band and it’s easy to see why this was a lead track for the album; it’s brilliantly unpretentious and a wonderful single that rightly whet the appetite for the full length.

And that’s pretty much the gist of the album; every song has been crafted with a passion that means they stand on their own or when put into a collective whole they tell a story of midlife, growing up and responsibility. Take “D-FENS” for example, asking if “you are proud of who you’ve become” or being “sick and tired of falling down”, it’s about taking ownership of your decisions. Or “Lonely”, with its call to arms for all the people who don’t fit in; sure these are typical tropes for a punk album but the delivery is a cut above.

Most of the songs are of a good tempo with tons of melody that remind me of Iron Chic at their most fun. “The Cipher”, for example, uses Helen’s vocals to inject some smile inducing character to chorus with its jagged “ey-ey-eyes” before building to a great fist in the air “never give in and we’ll never give up” chant. Or “Peaky Blinders”, which has that rock ’n’ roll Gaslight Anthem style bluesy feel to it; again the vocals take centre stage, showing Helen’s range from what is at points almost hushed talking to a soaring fist in the air pre-chorus.

Two songs in particular stand out and show how bringing Helen into the fold has really helped create a much more rounded and nuanced sound. The first of these is “Callumbus”, which excels through first the immediacy of the guitar work from both Callum and Helen but then its ability to slow down when needed, incorporate whoa-whoas and build to a killer chorus! There is so much depth and personality condensed into its 3:30 runtime that it’s impossible not to fall in love with it. The second of these songs is “Alabama”; a brilliant pop-punk banger. Again it has a truly massive chorus and this is where having someone like Helen on vocals really pays off. This is very much reminiscent of the now defunct Turnspit with their female led gruff punk, yet delivered in a very British way and it’s stunning!

Genuinely, I was gutted when Bear Trade split; I felt for sure they had the potential to be truly great. However, where they finished off, Misfortune Cookie have picked up the baton and run with it. I wholeheartedly recommend putting aside half an hour, grabbing a beer and giving this a spin. It’s arguably one of the finest releases of the year and given the current healthy and lively UK punk rock scene that is no mean feat!

Stream and download Heavy Seas here: https://misfortunecookie.bandcamp.com/album/heavy-seas

Like Misfortune Cookie here: https://www.facebook.com/misfortunecookieband

This review was written by Richard Mair.