Album Review: Empty Spaces by Reverse (by Chris Bishton)

Reverse first started in the early 90s. Hailing from Stoke in the UK and once described as a gritty, melodic, hardcore band on the Damaged Goods label, for me they always also had a definite pop-punk bearing.

They often drew comparisons to their very British contemporaries Snuff, Leatherface, China Drum et al, particularly as I think they recorded a few times in Newcastle, which possibly involved Frankie Stubbs's input, and they also played a gig there with China Drum after they'd split.

After going their separate ways in 1997, they briefly reformed putting out an album, Chasing Ghosts, on the Japanese SP Records in 2011, only to split again. Now, it seems, they're still not done and they're back again. They might not be prolific, but my god, they're durable.

As I always do, I have a quick count up of how many songs are on the album and how long the record is. Twelve songs in just over half an hour, rightly or wrongly, ticks the first punk record requirement box for me. It means I'm over the first hurdle of perhaps being a bit reticent to go back to a band I'd loved, but maybe I should leave in the past.

With that thought, I hit play and the opening title track, Empty Spaces, kicks in. It's the first new music I've heard from them in nearly 10 years, but the sound is unmistakably them. I'm so pleased they've stayed close to their roots. Guitar joined by drums, as the two combine to gather speed and really crisp vocals. The chorus "if you're not sure… is this a world worth fighting for" is an instant earworm.

There are so many songs on this album vying to be the catchiest. Undone is just one, with a great mix of soaring guitars and alluring vocals, followed by my favourite track Broken Windows. It builds for the first 20 seconds or so with guitar then drums, before the vocals start and the song really kicks off.

The album's tempo skips along well. For some reason Stay Angry, Fire Flies and the penultimate track Northern Soul, standout for me. I say "standout", but I realise when I listen to this again and again my favourites on the album change, which is unusual for me as I can be a bit of an "I know what I like type".

The album concludes with the song Bloody Mary & Grant Hart, a brilliant song title if ever I've heard one. Like the rest of the album the pace of it is perfect, somehow allowing me to grin and singalong both at the same time.

In a year that's been so bad for so many reasons, we've actually had a tonne of great music released and this album is right up there as one of my favourites. Perhaps a bit surprisingly, but they absolutely deservedly should be welcomed back with open arms with this new record. And whilst gigs may still be hard to come by, once we're out of this mess I really hope these guys do a few shows because, judging by their album, they'd put on a hellava comeback performance.

*Fun Fact: the first time I listened to this was on a CD in the car. I liked it, but wow… the band had gone in a pretty different direction in their time away. It turned out there'd been a mix up at the pressing plant and the new Jaded Eyes album had been pressed on CD and included with the Reverse LP. Boss Tuneage sent out replacements to everyone as soon as they realised… so, as if you need reminding, another reason to support your independent punk label.

Find Empty Spaces on Bandcamp here and streaming on the usual platforms.

Like Reverse on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Humbucker by Moving Targets (by Chris Bishton)

Moving Targets are a band I've loved for decades. Alt-punks from Boston, Massachusetts they formed in the early 80s, split in the mid 90s, only to reform again thanks to the force behind the band – lead guitarist, vocalist and all round powerhouse, Kenny Chambers. Apparently he wasn't finished as he set about recruiting new members Emilen Catalan and Yves Thibault, resulting in a comeback album and European tour last year.

Humbucker is their sixth album and the second in the last two years. Great news for us that they didn't come back for one last hurrah, rather Chambers seems reinvigorated, although apparently it nearly didn't happen as he needed a nailing biting dash to the airport to get on one of the last planes out of the US to Canada before the COVID lockdown in order to record the album.

I love the fact that he made that flight. Wires, their album from last year, was one of my favourites and it marked a glorious return after 25 years. Truly brilliant to hear a band that I have such a soft spot for put out such a great record after such a long time away. A second album in quick succession was always going to be a bonus and Humbucker provides that great alt-punk sound from a band that's been reborn.

The first track is The Hole. It's got a typical Targets vibe to it. A bit of Hüsker Dü, meets Pegboy, meets Dinosaur Jr. Is that indie, alt-punk or simply punk? I dunno, but it's a great song and possibly my favourite on the album.

Opposite is beautiful. It's mid-tempo, but with peaks and troughs of alluring guitar and lead vocals from Chambers and delicate ahhh-ahhh backing harmonies. Lost incorporates an acoustic guitar at the start of the track and has me kind of hypnotised once the electric guitar kicks in. I love it.

Feed is heavier. Big, strong guitars that almost have a grungy feel about them, before Harder Than The Rest follows which picks up the pace. Chambers' guitar dominates for over a minute before his vocals kick in. It's another contender for my favourite on the album.

World Gone Mad comes half way through the album. This song, along with Make It Right, are familiar as they were released on a split with The Swipes earlier this year. They're good songs but I do now find myself wondering why they've been included on this album when they were also on another release just a few months ago. But, I quickly admonish myself – you can't have too much of a good thing right?

Waiting For You is also on both these releases although on the split it's an acoustic track whereas on Humbucker is gets the full electric treatment. It's unusual for bands to "reimagine" tracks this way round. Usually it's the electric tracks that get the acoustic makeover, but this way round leaves me loving the new supercharged electric version.

Throughout the album there are massive guitars, but it's not agitated, distraught or out of control. Having listened to Humbucker all the way through many times now, I'll say that I don't rank it as high as Wires. But then again, I never expected to. Wires really was spectacular. But the thing for me is Humbacker is still a great album that, critically, doesn't leave me thinking a band can't sustain quality after what must have been a huge effort to start making and releasing records again.

There are a lot of songs on this new one. Fifteen to be precise, which I also think makes it a little too long. Twelve is the optimum number for me, but this is nit-picking. I'll take this as a sign that their creative juices are flowing and they've got more to come.

I should have seen the band when they played London last year, but in the end I couldn't make it because the gig turned out to be a matinee. As I'm writing this, I'm kinda aware that pre-COVID I would having been planning to go to The Fest about now where they would have been one of my must see bands. I was so looking forward to both of these until the universe conspired against me, so now I'm spinning the latest album and looking forward to next year when it has to be third time lucky.

Stream and download Humbucker on Bandcamp here.

Like Moving Targets on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.