Album Review: Tyler Moes by Madam Fatale

Madam Fatale are a three piece band from Sydney, Australia. I first came across them thanks to Punk Rock Radar on Instagram (I seriously recommend following that page) and I stuck them on a playlist of bands to check out. When they came on I was instantly impressed with their old school Green Day-esque style of punk rock and they quickly found their way on to my review pile. In February, they released their debut album Tyler Moes. I was impressed with the fact that they decided on a twelve track album for their debut release rather than an EP. This, to me, shows a lot of ambition. Is it good though? Yes, that’s why I’m reviewing it. But what do I think is good about it? Read on to find out.

Tyler Moes begins with Are You Bored? Madam Fatale kick the album off with a track about being the second child and getting the feeling that you don’t belong. From the opening vocals you can hear the Green Day comparison I made in the introduction but, aside from the vocals, musically this almost feels more like Billie Joe Armstrong fronting an indie band and it works fantastically. The second song, Church Street, is the track that really made Madam Fatale stand out for me. The opening guitars have a great pop punk sound that really gives you a feeling of what’s about to come. It’s a mid-tempo and melodic song about an acquaintance of the band that only brings bad times to all they meet and wanting to get away from them. This is an extremely catchy song that quickly finds a home in your head. Given that the third track, Girl Of A Thousand Names, is less than two minutes long I initially expected to the song to be a speedy number. It does pick up the pace, but it’s not the blistering punk bullet that I expected. It actually starts quite slowly before getting into a steady pace for the majority of the song. Its high point come when we hit the line “she’s the girl of a thousand names.”

Screen Gun Girl starts off in a solemn fashion. It’s a break up song, with the band’s lead singer Luke Bindoff realising the mistakes they made that ultimately ended the relationship and wishing they could reconcile. The song shifts melodies during its second half. The second half feels like it could be a big sing-along at a live gig. I was a bit surprised that they didn’t make more use of potential gang vocals but I guess, given the nature of the song, it would feel a bit out of place. The fifth song, Out Of My Mind, is another stand out track on Tyler Moes. There is that great, bratty pop punk style that made us fall in love with the genre many, many years ago. There is an immediate sing-along quality to Out Of My Mind that will draw people in and the theme of the song will be relatable to many of us. It’s about falling for someone and convincing yourself that they feel the same even when they possibly don’t. Bad Mistake brings us to the halfway point of the album. This song is about living life whilst constantly getting things wrong. In reality, this should be a really sad song but there is a joy in this song. I guess that it is cathartic for Luke to sing about this, perhaps getting a feeling of frustration off of their chest. I can see this being a fan favourite for the band.

The second half of Tyler Moes sees Madam Fatale take things in a much different direction. Parramatta Girls has more of a rock ‘n’ roll/rockabilly style to it that adds some freshness to the album. As the song progresses there is a moment where things get a bit darker but, for the most part, the track sticks to that rockabilly style. The simple chorus is one that will get stuck in your head for days and days. Toothpick is a slower and more emotional sounding track. The opening verses feature these cool jangly emo guitar tones before the chorus jumps into a more traditional pop punk style. The song looks at the loss of a friend and struggling to deal with that. It’s a much sadder song than anything else on the album so far, so you can understand the slower style that’s going on. I Want My Mummy Back is another slow and sad song. I’m sure you’ve guessed from the song’s title that it’s about wanting your mum to come back. Despite not having a lot of different lyrics, the track is over four minutes long. There is perhaps an argument that the song doesn’t need to be as long as it is but I kind of feel like the repetitive nature of the track adds a lot more emotion and sadness which is portrayed throughout.

The tenth track continues the slower style that Madam Fatale have adopted over the last few tracks. It’s a five minute long, fuzzy, shoegaze style. Musically the song is extremely haunting with Luke’s vocals really shining throughout. The subtleness of the guitar, bass and drums really add to the song. Josh Bishop’s drums are absolutely fantastic and do a brilliant job of not only giving the song a strong spine but also building things up for Luke’s voice to get a bit more intense. The penultimate song is titled Longlands Road. Beginning with just guitar and vocals (something I always enjoy), Josh tells a tale of leaving home. The full band comes in soon enough and really fleshes out the song but I was slightly disappointed this didn’t really increase the tempo of the song. I felt like it could really explode into life for a great sing-along as it’s another song that I’m sure so many people listening to the album will relate too. The final song on Tyler Moes is Besiege Me. This song was originally released as a single by the band in March of 2020. Besiege Me is an acoustic song that also includes some strings. I loved the addition of the strings – they give the song so much extra depth. Perhaps fittingly, this is a sad break up song to finish the album off. The stripped back sound really adds to the emotion of the entire song. Lyrically, it’s quite simple. This will really add to the emotional output of the song as it will hit more people immediately. A great way to finish the album.

I’m consistently coming across fantastic Australian bands and Madam Fatale are certainly another to add to the list. They have quite a unique sound that could see them fit under a few punk and indie umbrellas. This could see them get a big fanbase extremely quickly into their career and I suspect (if the world has finally been fixed by then) to see their name on festival line ups in the UK and Europe over the next few years.

Stream and download Tyler Moes on Bandcamp here.

Lke Madam Fatale on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Sgt. Scagnetti vs Hans Gruber And The Die Hards Split

I do love a split. I especially like them when one you get to discover a band that you never knew before. This was the case on the new split release by Sgt. Scagnetti and Hans Gruber And The Die Hards. I’ve been aware of Hans Gruber And The Die Hards for a few years now but I’ve never heard of Sgt. Scagnetti. I was keen to check them out. The split is only three songs long, one from the Sgt. Scagnetti and two from Hans Gruber.

 

Sgt. Scag (as they are often known) were actually an active band in the North East of America in the late nineties. They were known for their fun and unpredictable live shows. Like many bands from the era, they split in the earlier 2000s but have played a couple of reunion shows in recent years as well as releasing some new singles. Their appearance on this split is a great way to introduce themselves to the new era of ska punk fans. Sgt. Scag’s song on the split is titled Cultination. This is a great introduction to the band for anyone, like me, who is listening to them for the first time. It begins with quite a lengthy brass-fuelled introduction before lead singer Steve’s soulful vocals come in. The opening verse has a great call and response section between Steve and the rest of the band that really hooked me in. This is all played at a nice, mid-tempo pace before the band speed things up for the chorus. So much goes on in this song with changes in tempo and melody but the band seamlessly blend it together so it never feels stop/start. As the song finishes there are some great gang vocals and harmonies and ensure the song ends with a bang. The track is about the Internet influencing children to become mindless robots and how that’s a bad thing.

The first of Hans Gruber And The Die Hards’ songs is titled You’re Being Watched. The Texan outfit are one of the more unique and creative bands to come out of the USA ska scene. The track is about the paranoid feeling of being watched and trying to convince people that you’re not going crazy. The song starts with a very traditional ska punk style. The saxophone playing gets the song off to a fun start before the vocals come in and the song goes off in a completely different style. Vocally you would probably find more similar bands in the crust punk world, with some venomous singing going on. There is a slight change again for what I guess is the chorus, where a vocal that sounds like MC Bat Commander from The Aquabats come in. So much is going on and I love it. Hans Gruber’s second track is named Medical Advice. The track is largely instrumental except with occasional lines being shouted over the top. The lyrics touch upon the medical advice that has been given to the world during the past year such as staying at home, wearing masks and avoiding seeing vulnerable loved ones. There are some moments of anger and moments of sarcasm in these lines, they create quite an interesting dynamic and often make you think. This is such a skankable song and has a really catchy tune that will quickly earn a place in your head.

I really enjoyed this split. It features some old and new school style ska punk so it has something for everybody and is well worth checking out. It’s less than 8 minutes long and is a lot of fun.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here or here.

Like Sgt. Scagnetti on Facebook here and like Hans Gruber And The Die Hards here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

CPRW Playlist: March 2021

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Chris, Dan#2, Emma, Lara, Lee, Marcus, Omar, Richard, Robyn and myself have been listening to in March.

Album Review: You're So Cool by Family Dinner (by Lara Roberts)

Praise the powers that be for Instagram, or I may never have come across Family Dinner. After first hearing the song You’re So Cool, I was instantly hooked and wanted to go back for seconds. Luckily for me I didn’t have long to wait, as the Long Beach five-piece released their four-track EP, You’re So Cool, in February.

The EP starts off with the title track You’re So Cool, inspired by the 1993 Tarantino flick True Romance. The lyrics really capture what it feels like to get wrapped up in a relationship or situation that’s quickly getting out of control – the excitement, the admiration, and the willingness to throw rational thought out of the car window as you’re speeding through LA. It’s almost like you’re caught up in a different reality, and the dreamy, fuzzy, musical backdrop along with Natalie’s soaring vocals only adds to that feeling. We’ve all felt it, and that’s what makes this song so relatable.

Eyes feels like a follow-up to the first track, telling the story of when the initial excitement of a new relationship starts to wear off, but you’re finding yourself wanting to stay, always going back to that same situation. I found myself in the song, just like I did when listening to You’re So Cool. We get served up some delicious grungy drums and fuzzy guitars, with a side dish of 90s vibes. Note: After reading an interview with the band, I found out that this song was actually inspired by Natalie and Michael’s pet cats – and that’s purr-etty adorable.

We’re treated to another film-inspired track with Mahogany, written from the perspective of character Leon Kaufman, a worn-down photographer pushed to the point of murder, in the film Midnight Meat Train. This serves as a catchy, indie-punk tune with melodic vocals and tight drums. It’s one you can see yourself dancing to at that house party you’re longing to attend.

Our last course is Song 4 (Bloom), a catchy tune to take us through to the end. Straight off, there’s a bouncy melody that you will find yourself singing along with, leading to more fuzzy noise, tasty reverb and indie-pop vocals. In contrast to the music, the lyrics are more personal, documenting the struggles of self-acceptance and trying to claw yourself out of a dark place. I think this is something that we can all relate to, living in these strange, unusual, and often bleak times. There is a feeling of reassurance in the lyrics, reassurance that there is a light at the end of all of this – a sweet aftertaste to be left with at the end of a delicious EP.

Family Dinner bring that familiar feeling of 90s alternative rock back, and season it with an indie-pop, punk rock twist. You’ll love them if you like Hole, Milk Teeth, Somerset Thrower, Nirvana, Silverchair or Rival Schools.

Stream and download You’re So Cool on Bandcamp here.

Like Family Dinner on Facebook here.

This review was written by Lara Roberts.

Album Review: Bliss by Incisions (by Richard Mair)

Hardcore… it’s like the marmite of the punk scene (even more so than ska I feel, Colin – sorry); for the simple reason that whilst many will have encountered countless bands plugging away it can be very hard to be truly unique and stand out in such a niche and at times rigid scene. Consequently, when it’s done right it’s simply the best genre of music ever. Manchester’s Incisions clearly have this same attitude. Bliss, their second LP, is equal parts visceral, melodically angular and driven by an exceptional rhythm section that’s equal parts tight, structured and disciplined yet also able to seamlessly shift to a frenetic almost chaotic explosion when needed.

The first thing to say is Incisions play the kind of abrasive hardcore that you either love or hate. Personally it’s heyday era Indecision Records stuff that I adore (Life’s Halt / Carry On / Vorhees), with smatterings of the more straight up Black Flag racket you’d associate with the best of the Bridge 9 bands (Breathe In / early American Nightmare / Sworn In). Assuming you are familiar with these bands whose output was largely limited to a handful of releases a piece (with the notable exceptions of Vorhees and American Nightmare), you’ll be right at home!

Bliss kicks off with intense bass driven banger ‘You’re Not The Same’; a vitriolic 1:30 bombastic rant, that’s punctuated by a jaunty, angular guitar riff. It really sets the tone and over the next 20 minutes Incisions blast through a rabid, politically informed and socially aware collection that really helps them stand out against the backdrop of what can be a very poorly delivered pastiche of hardcore clichés.

‘Fuck The World’ clocks in at barely a minute and very much reminds me of Durham’s finest Vorhees, such is the intensity of the vocal delivery and the riffage on show, especially before the middle third of the song. It’s sharp, fast and punchy, giving way to perhaps one of the more structured and melodic songs on the album ‘Fighting Myself’. Complete with whoa-whoas and an excellent beat down at the end, it’s clearly destined for fan favourite status and dare I say is almost melodic-hardcore or skate punk in its delivery.

This opening trio showcase exactly what you expect to hear across the album, and they grab you instantly. The tropes and ideas presented in these songs appear across the rest of the album; although they become much more pronounced with ‘Repeat Prescription’ having some stand out moments via a well-constructed beat down, while ‘The Fluke’ makes use of a second lead vocal to add some depth to the choruses.

Where this particular subgenre of hardcore can lose its focus comes in its almost one dimensional approach to albums; they can appear very singular in terms of pace and length of songs. Again Incisions missed this memo and introduce some neat left turns on the album; demonstrating how creative the genre can be. ‘Back Of The Line’ is a borderline pop punk anthem and reminds me of UK legends Goober Patrol. The almost spoken word verses of ‘The Sweeney’ also introduce a new dynamic that helps keep the album fresh at the point where you might start to think things are too one dimensional. It’s these moments alongside the almost Billy Bragg or Frank Turner acoustic influenced ‘Better’ that really help hammer home the energy of the other songs whilst creating moments of reflection and consideration.

The album remains high quality throughout but probably the best songs are saved for the latter stages. ‘Broken Home’ is a hardcore masterclass, pitched beautifully alongside the aforementioned ‘Better’, and closing track ‘Insecure’ which brings the album to a close.

Overall Bliss is a cracking album, it’s perfectly balanced and structured. It’s angry, politically motivated and at times borderline disturbing such as references to the increased authority of the police who can no longer be identified in communities to the role mass media plays in the subjugation of minority groups. It’s this level of insight and vitriol that hardcore should have by its very nature and Incisions clearly live and breathe these values.

Finally I’ve compared Incisions to some of the best hardcore bands of the late 90s early 00s and that’s not in any way to make them sound like a nostalgia act, far from it. My personal view is the albums produced over that period of time remain some of my of all-time favourites and it’s certainly what I’d regard as a golden era of hardcore. Bliss taps into this era beautifully and helps push the envelope that little bit more in terms of where the genre can go next.

Pre-order Bliss on the TNSRecords webstore here.

Like Incisions on Facebook here.

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Album Review: Sick Day by Rest Easy

It seems like a while since I’ve banged on about a great Canadian band. On this occasion it’s Rest Easy who are a four piece who reside in Vancouver and feature members of Daggermouth and Shook Ones. In February, the band released their debut EP titled Sick Day on Mutant League Records. It is four songs of high octane punk rock with gravelly voiced vocals and massive, intense sing-alongs. The first time I heard them I was hooked and looked forward to giving the band a proper listen.

Sick Day begins with Get Busy Dyin’. The track ensures the EP gets off to a ferocious start. After a quick build, the vocals explode out of the speakers. It took approximately nine seconds to go from calm to fully pumped up and I loved that. This is the type of song that will have kids going crazy in a pit. After that frantic beginning, Rest Easy switch to a more melodic approach that makes you feel like the song will build to a big finale but instead leads nicely into the second song Headaches. The track again starts quickly, it hits you like a brick to the face but in the best possible way. (That’s a terrible metaphor, I don’t think there is a good way for a brick to hit you in the face). Much like Get Busy Dyin’, the song feels like it’s in two parts, that big start before then slowing down for a more melodic finish. This finish demands a massive sing-along from a live crowd – it’s just wonderful.

Bad Idea is the title of the third song on Sick Day. Unlike the first two songs, Bad Idea starts in a more melodic way which eases the listener into a song in a much gentler fashion. I think that because of this slower start the track feels so much more emotional than the previous two tracks. This adds a great extra string to the Rest Easy bow. I really enjoyed how the band use multiple vocalists throughout the track, cleverly switching between trading lines, harmonies and big gang vocals – there is so much going on throughout. The final track is the EP’s title track Sick Days. This was the first Rest Easy song I heard and I absolutely fell head over heels for it. On that first listen, the lyric “it’s okay not to be okay” really caught my attention. I’m always drawn to a track that talks about mental health like this, it’s important to be reminded of things like this. Sick Day takes you on a series of highs and lows with some brilliant changes in tempo and melody that keep you guessing throughout. It is such a big way to finish this brilliant debut from Rest Easy.

Obviously, given the members other bands, Rest Easy is a band of real pedigree. I was hooked the first time I listened to Sick Day. I’m happy that I was able to listen to the EP before I discovered the band’s history as I got to hear it without any preconceived expectations and was blown away. I’m sure fans of Daggermouth and Shook Ones will love this release. I’m already desperate for them to make their way to the UK for some shows as soon as possible.

Stream and download Sick Day on Bandcamp here.

Like Rest Easy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Funny Feeling by Out Of Love

Alternative music folk were making a lot of fuss about UK punk rockers Out Of Love before they had even released their debut EP last year. The four track I Am Not Me really showed a lot of what the band were all about – catchy punk rock songs that look at life for someone reaching their 30s and all of the trials, tribulation and stress that can come from that. On April 16th the band will release their second EP Funny Feeling on Venn Records. Interestingly this was the first time that the band had been in a studio to record music as their first EP was made in their practice space. I was keen to hear how the band has progressed in the past year.

The first track on the EP is titled Play Pretend. If this is your first time listening to Out Of Love then Play Pretend is a great introduction to the band. It starts with a brief audio clip about letting go of your feelings and not bottling things up before launching into a catchy, yet energetic, introduction. When it’s time for lead singer Jack Rogers to come in he quickly makes his way through the first verse before we get to the huge chorus. This is such a great method of getting you invested into the song. It’s about someone having a self-destructive personality but trying to find a way of doing better. This is followed up by Wishlist. Wishlist wastes no time in getting started, continuing the up tempo start of the EP. From the beginning, the song is a big sing-along with some great gang vocals right at the start of the track. If you listen to the guitars underneath the vocals, they create this wonderful, fuzzy sound that gives Out Of Love this magnificent sound that you don’t hear from a lot of punk bands. This really allowed the band to stand out amongst many of their contemporaries. The song is about calling out the people in your life who lie about their accomplishments to try and make you feel bad.

The third song, Hello Trouble, slows things down a little bit. This gives the listener a moment to catch their breath. The track feels like the more radio-friendly accessible track that will hopefully attract music fans where punk isn’t necessarily their favourite genre of music. There’s a bit of an indie rock feel to the song, it might just be me but I’m kind of reminded of Feeder here. There are moments of snarl that appear in Jack’s vocals that do however give the song a bit of edge. Hello Trouble is about learning from your past mistakes and attempting to grow as a person. The penultimate song is titled Dog Daze. Here we see a poppier side of Out Of Love as well as a happier side. As I’m writing this I’m sitting at my desk with some beautiful sunshine coming through the window and it’s putting me in a good mood. The song is about the unconditional love between a pet and its owner. I can’t lie, it also makes me a bit sad, as due to the COVID pandemic that’s taken over our lives in the past year, I haven’t been able to go and visit my dog as she lives with my mum. I know that when I do get the chance that to visit, the unconditional love that Mindy has for me will still be there. Dogs are the best. The fifth and final track on Funny Feeling is named See Right Thru. Here we have a song that looks at seeing past the way someone presents themselves and accepting them for who they actually are. The track manages to jump around with different sounds throughout its duration, somehow managing to squeeze everything that Out Of Love does so well into a mixer and coming out with gold.

This is a second incredible EP from Out Of Love. It’s mad to me that a band can release two fantastic EPs before they’ve even played a live show but I guess that’s the world we currently live in. I cannot wait for that debut gig to be announced, I really hope that I can be there as I believe it will be a special moment that attendees will be talking about for years to come. Out Of Love are going to be massive so get on the train now and enjoy the ride.

Pre-order Funny Feeling on Bandcamp here.

Like Out Of Love on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Irruption by Ship Thieves (by Omar Ramlugon)

The Ship Thieves have had quite the metamorphosis over time; beginning as an alt-country/rock side project, switching to a full band with some Georgia Satellites-esque Southern twang, before finally heading straight into a full punk rock charge with their 2016 release No Anchor. Comprised of Hot Water Music’s Chris Wollard, ex-Quit guitarist Addison Burns, former Samiam bassist Chad Darby and Enablers’ drummer Bobby Brown, it was arguably the moment that a lot of people had been waiting for. While the previous releases were great in their own right, it’s pretty much an ineluctable fact that Chris Wollard is a punk rock songwriting dynamo, with his smoky, gnarled vocal delivery serving as the foundation for the rest of the band to tear into another batch of simply excellent songs. With this in mind, it’s safe to say that Irruption picks up where No Anchor began, bursting at the seams with crunching guitars, gruff but harmonised vocals and interlocking melodic hooks that remind of Sugar or later period Leatherface.

Openers ‘The Embers Of Enlightenment’ and ‘Race To Oblivion’ practically jump off the record player, with the forceful rhythm section providing the foundation for Wollard’s slippery, arresting lead guitar that always strikes the balance between raw emotion and precision. It’s an often abused trope that punk rockers can’t play their instruments, but Ship Thieves are just one of thousands of examples to consign that misconception to the scrapheap; the band exhibit tight, controlled power throughout while never seeming mechanical.‘Ghost Town’ features a wistful searching chorus that kicks right in the heart while the pummelling ‘Tangled Net’ might even be the album’s highlight, with an extended lyrical coda that has Wollard howling “in isolation” over and over again. Given that huge swathes of us have spent nearly a year locked in our homes at the time of writing, the song bites particularly hard.

‘Hercules Stomp’ puts Addison Burns on the microphone, and his higher pitched but yearning vocal delivery completely fits the track’s gleaming hooks. It seems that this album has more and more of Burns trading vocals with Wollard as well as providing excellent backing, and it’s a brilliant addition to the Ship Thieves’ palate. It’s interesting to note how Wollard functioned as the higher, slightly less raspy singer in Hot Water Music, and with Irruption, Burns takes on this role with aplomb. ‘Access Denied’ reminds of Cherry Knowle-era Leatherface, with wiry single-note hooks dotted in amongst slabs of twisting riffs.‘(I Don’t Wanna) Face The Dog’ is one of the most gutsy, aggressive songs on the album, with Wollard and Burns’ call-and-response vocal lines bolstered by a furious Government Issue-esque descending riff, while ‘He Lost His Head’ and its minor key riffing gives way to an absolutely ripping guitar solo that blows back your hair. ‘Lurking Strain’ closes out the record with a sense of uncertainty and desperation, which couldn’t have been more fitting given the climate in which it was released. Burns and Wollard take it in turns to sing, with the former in especially good form, delivering a performance that will send shivers down your spine. Lots of bands would be hard pressed to have one song of this quality on a record, but the Ship Thieves have spoiled us with an entire album’s worth.

When No Anchor arrived in 2016, I remember reading an interview with Wollard shortly after where he noted that Ship Thieves were already working on the next album. Although it’s been a long five years, I’m happy to say definitively that Irruption is an even better record than its predecessor; it adds new elements to the Ship Thieves’ heady brew while keeping their signature mix of melody and sonic heft. It’s a powerful, hard-charging, yet tender and earnest record that is delivered with complete conviction. Who wouldn’t want more music from a band that just keep moving from strength to strength like the seasoned punk legends they are? Miss this at your peril.

Available wherever you stream or download music.

Like Ship Thieves on Facebook here.

This review was written by Omar Ramlugon.

Album Review: Attempts At Understanding by Animal Byproducts (by Emma Prew)

Animal Byproducts are a Manchester-based power pop meets folk punk foursome who describe themselves as ‘placid pals peddling patriarchy-poking park punk’ – and I just had to quote that for its excellent alliteration. At the beginning of February the band released a brand new EP titled Attempts At Understanding and I immediately knew this was something I wanted to review.

The first of four tracks on Attempts At Understanding is titled Bin Day and it opens with a wonderful crescendo of brass instruments and gentle guitar strumming. Before too long, the vocals come in with the wise words ‘Please don’t forget that it’s your bin day’. I can’t say that I recall ever listening to any other song that reminds me to put the bins out – and I was literally singing this to myself the other day before putting the bin out – so Animal Byproducts definitely get points for originality here. Of course, the song is not strictly just about your household rubbish, it’s about much more than that. Racists? Homophobes? People that say ‘It wasn’t like this back in my day’? They can all get in the bin. Next up is There Are Dozens Of Us! and the band don’t waste any time in getting going with this track. It’s upbeat and catchy from the outset with a superb chorus that unashamedly denies gender roles and stereotypes (‘Do I undermine your solid gender roles? Or are we all just assortments of holes?’) complete with some simply delightful power pop style backing harmonies in the second verse and a trumpet solo later on. It’s hard to pick but this might be my favourite of the four songs on the EP.

Obscene is the name of the third track on Attempts At Understanding and it opens with a melodic guitar riff that will have you bopping your head along in no time at all. When the drums come in the beat is more firmly set and it carries the song nicely through the first verse – which gave me real Chas Palmer-Williams (of Lightyear, but I mean his solo stuff more so) vibes, by the way – and into an epic sounding second verse. The trumpet really is the star of the show in this song and, as someone who is more traditionally a fan of banjo or harmonica in folk punk, it really makes me excited to listen to more tunes with trumpet parts that aren’t so obviously placed as in, for example, ska punk – if that makes any sense. The last song on the EP is Tavistock Square. Another track that doesn’t hang around, this song ensures that Attempts At Understanding ends with an energetic burst. At first I thought the lyrics were quite erratic, with talk of Gandhi, Alan Turing and the bombing of Hiroshima all in a single verse, but I’ve since read about Tavistock Square (in Bloomsbury, London) on Wikipedia and the lyrics make a whole lot more sense! The song looks at all the memories that can become assigned to and associated with a certain place, as well as reflecting on the peace that can be found in a specific location that you yourself hold fond memories of. ‘So the next time you see me in Tavistock Square, Please help me look for the peace that I found there.’

If you’re not already familiar with Animal Byproducts but like bands such as ONSIND and Toodles & The Hectic Pity then you definitely need to check out this EP.

You can stream and download Attempts At Understanding on Bandcamp and like Animal Byproducts on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: The Lockdowns by The Lockdowns

The Lockdowns are a new band from Houston, Texas. I’m guessing, from their name, that they formed during 2020 due to being locked down because of that awful pandemic. In January, the four piece released their debut self titled EP. It contains six broken hearted pop punk songs that remind me of Teenage Bottlerocket at their best.

The EP begins with the song Dirty Mouth. The track gets the EP off to a flying start with some buzzsaw guitars and an energetic drumbeat before some rapid-fire vocals come into play. The Lockdowns fly through the first verse before hitting the chorus. As you would imagine from a pop punk band, there are some great moments for singing along here. The track is about using bad language and being offended by it. The whoa-ohs in the song remind me of one of my all time favourite bands, The McRackins. Next up is Baby Can I Change Your Mind. After the energy of Dirty Mouth, this song really slows down and has a 60s doo-wop style to it. I loved that The Lockdowns decided to change things up like this so early on in the EP. The vocals are another big high point on the song. I’m not sure if there are two singers or the singer just changed octaves but the switch to the higher pitch is a thing of beauty. The third song is Duck Tape And Super Glue. Beginning with an audio clip basically saying that when you love someone you should give them all you have, from there we move into a song about getting your heart broken again. The band brings the tempo and energy back up on this track, despite it being quite a sad song. Vocally the lead singer settles on a raspy style that I really like. It gives the song a bit of bite rather than being too sugary sweet.

In the intro for this review I mentioned being reminded of Teenage Bottlerocket on the EP. The fourth song, Skeletons, is the perfect example of this. The opening has a heavier sound than anything previous and as soon as the vocals come in I think of Kody Templeman. He’s one of my favourite singers so I’m all for this. The lyrics do that wonderful thing of painting a great picture of what the song is about. I’ll leave you to listen to work out what’s going on. The penultimate song is titled Maybe I’ll Fall In Love With You Tomorrow. This was one of my favourites on the EP. There’s a breezy, summer time, uplifting feel to the song that puts a smile on my bearded face. The introduction of the song sees the bass become quite prevalent which I thought added a great extra layer to the track. On first listen, it felt like a positive and hopeful song but when you listen again the track is about building walls around yourself, trying to ensure that you’re not going to get your heart broken again. The sixth and final song on the EP is Monsters. It starts out with a fantastic building introduction that lets you know that big things are on the way. It also infuses you with enough energy to get your through the rest of the EP in fine fashion. There’s this superb urgency in the vocals that really pulled me in. Monsters is about having children and, despite it being very difficult at times, them meaning everything to you. I don’t think I’ve heard a song touching on this subject in a punk song in a long time and it’s a really refreshing way to end the EP.

This is a fantastic pop punk EP. I love this sound and always look forward to discovering new bands playing the style. If you’re a fan of Teenage Bottlerocket, The Lillingtons, Dear Landlord, The Copyrights etc. then The Lockdowns are really worth your time.

Stream and download The Lockdowns on Bandcamp here.

Like The Lockdowns on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Video Premiere: Poisoned Lungs by One Million Motors

Today I'm extremely excited to present an exclusive premiere of the new single from Newcastle's One Million Motors. Poisoned Lungs is released everywhere on Friday 12th of May but you can check out the lyric video below.

Pre-save Poisoned Lungs on Spotify here: http://smarturl.it/ajrf24
Bandcamp: https://onemillionmotors.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/onemillionmotors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onemillionmotors/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ommisreal

 

 

Album Review: Leapfrog by Trashed Ambulance

Canada’s Trashed Ambulance have been together in one form or another since 2014 and the three piece have become known for their snotty vocalled melodic skate punk. In January they released a brand new EP titled Leapfrog on Thousand Island Records.

The first of the three songs on Leapfrog is titled On The Mend. The song starts with a slow build featuring some distinctive vocals that pull you in alongside a simple melody. This eases you in to the whole EP brilliantly and will also get you singing along. There’s a great sense of urgency in the song that keeps you listening and I particularly enjoyed the guitar solo that leads towards the final chorus of the track. What a great start. Next is the EP’s title track, Leapfrog. This is a more emotional song dedicated to a lost friend of the band. The band turn down the snotty style of their vocals and there are some No Use For A Name vibes in the song, particularly with some soaring harmonies. The buzzing guitar riff gives the song more of a pop punk sound that makes it super accessible from the start. The tempo of the vocals gives it plenty of energy and the shift in melody for the second half of the track for a repetitive and building chorus is a thing of beauty. The gang vocals give so much to the song’s finale. I loved this song. Last up is Delinquent. Trashed Ambulance return to their debauchery ways with this song about petty crimes and always getting away with it. This is a fast and fun skate punk song that will get a crowd singing along with big smiles on their faces. This is Trashed Ambulance at their raucous best. I have this image of the band playing this song live in my head and there being a massive stage invasion for the song with a massive gang vocal choir. It would be glorious.

This is a short but fun EP from Trashed Ambulance. I’m hoping that it will lead on to a future full length from the band as it really whet my appetite for more new tracks from the band. This is exactly how I want to hear my skate punk.

Stream and download Leapfrog on Bandcamp here.

Like Trashed Ambulance on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Cracked Beyond Repair by Nelson Savage

Despite still being a relatively new band, Edinburgh’s Nelson Savage have been super prolific since forming in 2018 – they’ve already released four EPs. Their latest, and the subject of this review, was released in January on Anti-Manifesto Records. Titled Cracked Beyond Repair, it features five brand new tracks of emotional pop punk.

The opening song is named Bricks. The track starts with a fantastic guitar solo that quickly pulls you in. Soon enough the vocals come in and we are greeted with a subtle yet mesmerizing style that does a magnificent job of telling the story of the song. Bricks has plenty of hooks that will enable you to pick up the song quickly and the use of harmonies throughout the song add some brilliant additional layers to the track. Next is Glasgow Coma Scale. The song sees Nelson Savage up the tempo of the EP and also feels as if the song was written to be a cathartic sing-along. It certainly feels like that. The track is about feeling as if you’re sleepwalking through your life and looking for people who are feeling the same. I really enjoyed the moment where the track got slightly quieter with the lines “while I’m sedate, can you relate...” before it builds to a bigger finale.

The third song is Choke. Choke starts out with a jangly guitar riff before the vocals come in. The track sees Nelson Savage venture into the political waters (potentially for the first time as Nelson Savage). Choke is about being outraged by the political and social unrest that is ongoing all over the world, wanting to speak out but not feeling able to. I’m sure that’s something a lot of us can relate to. The penultimate song is titled Auctioneering. This track is about trying to sell yourself to the world and showcasing every side of the person you are. Vocally it sounds slightly angrier than the previous songs; you can definitely hear some spite at times. This adds an extra emotional element to the entire EP that I really liked. The big sing-along of “if you’re not buying what I’m selling” was a great touch that I look forward to witnessing live at some point. The final song on Cracked Beyond Repair is Kings Of The Inbetween. Whenever a song begins with a cymbal crash you expect it to be high in energy and, in its own way, Kings Of The Inbetween delivers that. The track looks at life in your thirties and all the questions that surround your life at the time. Remembering that the cookie cutter life isn’t for everyone and people are successful in different ways. I found this song extremely cathartic as I often question where I am in my life before realising that it doesn’t matter, as I’m happy.

Nelson Savage are one of the hottest new(ish) bands in Scotland. There’s always a slight worry that when a band releases so much music so consistently, will it always be good or will it be a bit throwaway? I’m very happy to report that Nelson Savage seem to get better and better with every release. If you’re not listening to these guys yet, change that.

Stream and download Cracked Beyond Repair on Bandcamp here.

Like Nelson Savage on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Cobwebs by Burning Nickels

If you’ve been following our CPRW Records releases closely you hopefully should have already heard of Burning Nickels. Burning Nickels are a three piece band from Alberta, Canada, who play melodic pop punk. Since 2018 the band have been consistently releasing new songs on High End Denim records. On March the 2nd they release their newest EP Cobwebs. We were lucky enough to get an early listen.

The four track EP opens with the title track, Cobwebs. Burning Nickels were kind enough to send us a super early version of the track to use on our Hidden Gems 2 compilation that we released in January. This is a updated version of the track. It’s a upbeat piece of melodic pop punk in a similar vein to bands such as No Use For A Name and Bracket. On my first listen of the track what really stands out is the flow of vocals during the verse alongside a truly impressive guitar part. The track is about feeling depressed but gradually realising things can get better. The second track is Sentiment which is a Trashed Ambulance cover. Musically the song sounds smoother than the original but Alex Goldfarb of Debt Neglector’s guest vocals add the gruffness you hear in Trashed Ambulance’s version. The song is about dealing with mental health issues and questioning why you are going through these struggles. I really like the imagery that the audio clip at the end of the song presents. Have a listen to find out why I think it’s so smart.

The UK’s Sam Russo makes a guest appearance on the third song, Bootstraps. This song is perhaps the most varied song on the EP so far. The track combines the poppiest of pop punk alongside some heavier skate punk moments as well as Russo breaking your heart as only he can. Bootstraps is about the ending of a relationship and coming to terms with everything that’s happened along with worrying how much more anguish you can take emotionally. The final track on the EP is titled Summer Boner. This song is a retrospective song that also has a bit of a silly side. It’s about looking back on a past summer romance and realising that you had stronger feelings than your first thought. This is one of those great songs that’s fantastic at painting an image with its lyrics. It really allows the listener to visualise the story of the song in their heads. Imagery is such a important part of songwriting and Burning Nickels do such a good job here. There are also some very juvenile lyrics that did make me smile, as I am still a child at heart.

Burning Nickels are one of the most fun bands I’ve discovered over the past year but they are also very capable of writing some serious songs that listeners will really relate to and hopefully get a feeling of catharsis from. It’s clear that the band aren’t the type to sit for too long and I’m already looking forward to what they do next.

Pre-order Cobwebs on Bandcamp here.

Like Burning Nickels on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.