Album Review: On The Brink by Mark Murphy And The Meds

I want to start this review with an apology. I feel like I promised this review months ago and I’m only just getting round to writing it. Sorry Mark! In November 2021, Liverpool based band Mark Murphy And The Meds released a brand new album titled On The Brink. As soon as I heard it, I adored it and it found its way into my top ten favourite albums of the year. It’s packed with some of the best pop punk I’ve heard in a while. It had me thinking of one of my favourite bands, the Teen Idols, and there’s a lot of other Lookout Records style influences spread throughout the album. We need more of that style of pop punk in our lives so hearing On The Brink was really refreshing.

On The Brink begins with the song Stuck Inside. The track starts with a high tempo and some nice guitar riffs, before Mark’s vocals come in and ask the question “what have you done?”. I must admit that when I first read the title, and given the fact that this album was written during 2020 when the UK was in lockdown, I thought that Stuck Inside might be a song about that. It’s not. The song looks at a relationship where one of the people in said relationship changes and begins to shut the other person out. It’s quite a sad song lyrically but the tempo and melody certainly pep it up somewhat. This is followed by Susie’s Gonna Try. After a “1, 2, 3, 4!”, the song starts with no opening fanfare. It’s the proper pop punk way. Throughout the entire two minutes and twenty-eight seconds of the song we’re treated to nothing but pure energy. I love a song that does this relentlessly but is also jam packed with hooks and melodies. It’s a really catchy ear worm of a track and that you’ll be humming to yourself long after you finish listening to the song.

Therapy Room Ten is one of my stand out track on On The Brink and Mark was kind enough to let us use the song on our recent CPRW Records release Not Here Not Anywhere. The song looks at folk who go to therapy and ultimately why they go, to try and feel a little hope in their lives. I feel like this is a song that plenty of people who listen to it will relate to and hopefully if you’ve been thinking about going to therapy for anything it might give you a little push to do so. Once again the whole song is full of this infectious energy and brings you along for the ride. The fourth track on the album is titled She’s Been To Reno. Unlike the previous three tracks, Mark and The Meds add a bit more rock to their sound. The guitars still buzz along but the rhythm section for the band seems to give more of a solid spine to the song and Mark’s vocals have a more serious tone to them. I think that it is sometimes difficult to add a variety of sounds to this style of pop punk music and the band do a great job of it here.

Another Case Of Lonely has a longer introduction and has an all around softer feeling to it. To me, it seems rare for a pop punk album to show this level of vulnerability but Mark wears his heart on his sleeve throughout. This track is about a relationship ending and the sad feeling of loneliness that comes from the situation. During the track, Mark sings about not expecting things to end and working hard to try and keep things together. This is another sad song that I’m sure plenty of people will relate to, which in itself is a bit sad. Up next is That Day. Continuing the theme of break-ups, on That Day Mark sings about the day of a relationship ending and the feelings that come from that. I really enjoyed the moments of spoken word during the song, it’s something a bit different that I wasn’t expecting it but I thought it worked really well in getting the emotion of the song across. There is also a great moment where the melody and tempo takes a turn, adding a bit more urgency into the track.

The seventh song on On The Brink is titled Alone Again Nor. If you’re a Teen Idols fan then you’re going to absolutely love this, I can imagine it appearing on Pucker Up or Full Leather Jacket. The intro starts quietly but soon builds and begins to pick up speed. I loved the way the guitars worked together on the introduction – great work! Of all the songs on the album I think this might have the best melodies, which is saying a lot because there are loads of great ones sprinkled generously throughout On The Brink. It’s another big ear worm and I love it. It’s also got the fist in the air quality where a crowd will shout the song right back at the band when they play live. Stupendous pop punk right here. Hardcore Four sees Mark Murphy And The Meds turn down a different path as they perform a hardcore song. It’s full throttle throughout the one minute and eighteen seconds duration with the vocals really having a lot more venom to them. After everything else that has been before it on the album, this was a surprise and a bloody nice one at that. It’s an angry song that really hits the listener hard.

The penultimate song, Candle, continues with the energy that came from Hardcore Four but returns back to the pop punk sound we’re more accustomed to. This is another absolutely delightful melody from the band and will also find a long term residence inside your brain. I think the bass playing from Lennie Spruce stands out more on Candle that it does on any other track on the album and it’s superb. We’re even treated to a bass solo in the final part of the track before we reach a final chorus. Pogoing was always a big part of pop punk back in the day and it feels as if this song was written for a giant pogo at a gig. It’s a bouncy number that does make me smile. The final track on On The Brick is Slow Worm. For this final song the band do slow things down slightly. The guitars chug and the bass has some playful riffs that move the song forward. The first couple of verses follow this pattern but when the chorus hits we’re in for a big sing-along moment. I think that this is one of the biggest sing-along sections on the whole album and I kind of wish that they had included some gang vocals to really make this pop. They do include some super sweet harmonies as the song and album comes to its final moments however.

There’s a lot of pop punk bands in the UK but not many who are doing this particular style of pop punk. When I came across the album at the end of last year, I smiled from ear to ear when listening to it. I love this sound and this is a superb version of it. I hope that On The Brink leads to a bit of a renaissance of this sound that the UK scene is severely missing. If you haven’t checked out On The Brink and are a fan of all things Lookout or bands such as Zatopeks, The Murderburgers, The Kimberly Steaks and No Matter etc. then this an album you really need in your life.

Stream and download On The Brink on Bandcamp.

Like Mark Murphy And The Meds on Facebook.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Anti-Charisma Wholesale by Don Blake

I always smile when I see that Bolton’s Don Blake are releasing new material. The pop punk foursome are prolific songwriters and always seem to be releasing something new every couple of years. Their most recent release is a six track EP named Anti-Charisma Wholesale and it is released by Brassneck Records and Bloated Kat Records.
Anti-Charisma Wholesale begins with The Future Is A Closed Door. The track starts off in a startling manner with a rapid drum roll and some crunching guitars that almost have you thinking you’re listening to a metal record. When Joe’s distinctive vocals come in we settle back into the familiar Don Blake sound. Joe’s soaring vocals, along with some of the best harmonies in the scene, are as good as ever and the extra crunch in the guitar adds a slight skate punk element into the song. A Comfortable Lie is the title of the second song. In contrast to the opening song, A Comfortable Lie starts quite quietly before building towards the opening verse. This is a more traditional pop punk song. The verse is full of melody that hooks you in quickly and when they switch to a more punchy style for the chorus you can’t help but want to sing along. The chorus has this thing about it that has you wanting to listen intently and sing every word. Up next is Penitent One. I had to look up what penitent actually means whilst reviewing the song – it’s “feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong.” From that I guess you can work out what the song is about – admitting you’ve done wrong and trying to make amends. The song goes by at a frantic pace, with Nige’s drums really driving the song forward.

The second half of the EP begins with Almost Got ’Em. This is more of a mid-tempo pop punk song similar to what we found on their excellent 2015 album Pocket Universe. Something I really enjoyed was the brilliant bass line from Sam that’s evident throughout the track. It adds a subtle backbone to the song that the rest of the band can play off. The penultimate song is named Haze Again. This is one of the more emotional songs on Anti-Charisma Wholesale. The song has a definite No Use For A Name vibe to it that I loved. Musically the song is quite frantic and full of energy. Joe’s vocals, along with some delicious harmonies from the rest of the band, add all of the melody and emotion to the song. This feels a bit different for Don Blake and I really like it. The final track is titled Polaroid and begins with an epic introduction. I’ve said many times that I really enjoy it when a final track feels like a final track and that’s exactly the case here. Everything feels likes it’s been turned up a notch and this gives the song a massive feeling. There are guitar and bass solos aplenty and the drums are as powerful as ever. The ending of the song is quite sudden and not really expected. This really left me wanting more, so I listened to the EP again… and again.

Don Blake are a mainstay of the UK’s pop punk scene and it’s great to see them continuing to release great music. I was really looking forward to seeing them again at MPF in April (obviously we all know what that happened there), so hopefully when things get back to normal it won’t be too long until I can see them live again as these songs sound perfect for a gig setting.

Stream and download Anti-Charisma Wholesale on Bandcamp here.

Like Don Blake on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Oppositional Defiance by The Raging Nathans

The last time we reviewed The Raging Nathans on CPRW was their 2018 album Cheap Fame. Since then, they’re released splits with Dead Bars, Starter Jackets, Parasites and Jon Cougar Concentration Camp as well as compilation of all of their 7”. Not a band that like to rest, now they are getting ready to release a brand new full length titled Oppositional Defiance on Rad Girlfriend Records (USA) and Brassneck Records (UK), on 24th July. One of the hardest working and most prolific pop punk bands in the scene, when this arrived in my inbox I was very excited to check it out.

The album starts with Tragedy Ghouls: An Introduction. As you should have guessed, this is an introduction for the album. Layered over the top of a pop punk song, there are audio clips of news pieces talking about gun violence. It’s a startling but powerful way to start the album and really makes you think. Following this, the album begins properly with the song One Day Closer. This is a fast paced and frantic song that hooked me in immediately. The song manages to keep its tempo throughout and remains super engaging for the whole duration as well. Despite the tempo, it’s still super catchy and will receive some huge sing-alongs – assuming people are fit enough to keep up with the vocals. The song is about being angry with your place in life and not being able to change that. The chorus is one that I’m sure is relatable for a lot of people, “every day I’m alive I’m one day closer to death.” Where Ya Been? has a throwback 90s sound to it and is definitely a song for the summer. There’s an upbeat breeziness to the song that put a smile on my face. On the track, The Raging Nathans sing about getting reacquainted with an old friend and seeing a change in them. I’m sure that we’ve all experienced that. When looking over the track list before I listened to Oppositional Defiance, the next track, Don’t Miss The Train, stood out to me. I wondered if it was a No Use For A Name cover. It’s not. It is however a smashing track that shows off a more restrained Raging Nathans. The wings are mostly clipped with everything feeling sharper and to the point on the track. It’s about looking back on the things you did when you were younger and deciding it’s best to leave them there.

Parole Violation sees The Raging Nathans go down a different route. Turning everything up to eleven, including their anger – this is a full speed hardcore song and I love it. It’s full of passion and energy and will certainly get a circle pit going whenever they play it live. The track really allows Christian Roerig to show off just how good he is as a bass player with some great rumbling basslines pushing the song forward. The sixth song is titled Signals. Reverting back to the band’s more traditional pop punk sound, Signals is about the frustration of not being able to read people and feeling bad about it. There’s such a slickness to the song. It feels like a lot of time has been spent crafting these songs so they’re perfect. The backing harmonies in particular are a superb touch on the song. It’s a subtle extra layer that brings a lot to the track. Outside wastes no time in getting started. During the track, lead singer Josh Goldman sings about feeling ostracised and asks if you know what that’s like, as well as wanting to find a way of fitting back in. There’s a definite 90s skate punk feel to the song, particularly No Use For A Name who always edged towards the poppier side of skate punk. Up next is You Are Not Me. This was one of my favourite tracks on Oppositional Defiance. It’s about those people who always have a better story than you and look to one up everyone. What The Raging Nathans are saying is that those people are jealous of what you’ve achieved by yourself. The song has a great barroom sing-along feel to it; arms wrapped around your friends, fists in the air shouting as loudly as you can – a great time!

The ninth song is titled Big Mouth. Big Mouth certainly has a feel of The Copyrights about it with the buzzsaw like guitars and big gang vocal chorus. There is an in your face nature to the song that fits the song’s theme perfectly. It’s about, like the chorus states, having a big mouth and not being able to shut up. This is such a catchy chorus that you will be singing for days after listening to the song. Stargazing is about missing your loved ones, perhaps due to being away on tour. This is one of the poppiest songs on the album, showing off a softer side of the band. The song is quite a simple and repetitive one that you will latch on to quickly – this really made it stand out on my first listen of the album. I enjoyed the irony of the harmony during the line “so alone”. The penultimate track on the album is titled Old Blood. Old Blood really brings the pace back up. Opening with some rapid fire vocals and an uptempo melody, it gives the album an adrenaline shot just as it begins to finish. Musically it’s relentless from start to finish with the vocals supplying most of the melody. Oppositional Defiance is finished with Spoiled Brat which originally appeared on their split with Parasites. Making sure to finish the album with a bit of a flurry, the song has quite a long intro that builds into some of the most passionate vocals on the album. The song is about not appreciating what you have and what you’ve done and then realising that that is a stupid thing to be doing.

Oppositional Defiance is another superb addition to The Raging Nathans discography. It could be, in fact, their best release so far. It is definitely one of the best pop punk records of 2020.

Pre-order Oppositional Defiance on Bandcamp here.

Like The Raging Nathans on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: II by Custody (by Chris Bishton)

Think of Finland and the chances are the first thing you think of isn't likely to be soaringly happy, melodic punk rock. Lapland and the Northern Lights, perhaps. Liverpool football supporters of a certain age might point to Jari Litmanen or Sami Hyypiä. But not punk, right? Step forward Custody – the melodic five-piece who've just released their second album titled II – making them easily the greatest Finns I know (sorry Liverpool fans).

They've been compared to a number of 90s bands that have a special place in my heart. Most notably Samiam and early The Get Up Kids, which I certainly see, and Leatherface, which I get less so (but there are so very few bands that could get close to Leatherface though, right?). Either way, what is certain for me is whilst I get the connection, they're by no means a weak imitation of any of these bands.

The first track on II is Silent Mutiny. It's not especially fast but it is a powerful song. A heavy drum beat and vocals build the song as they're joined by guitars and a great chorus and then an instrumental. I immediately catch myself tapping out the rhythm before I've even heard the whole song in its entirety, such is the powerful drum beat. I really love it.

Altered States then follows. This was the single that the band released online before the album. It's a real sing-a-long track with clear, distinct vocals, before She Said. This third track is one of my favourites. Fast, but not frantic, it builds then slows, twists and turns. Its chorus aching to be shouted in unison at a packed yet intimate gig.

Other stand out tracks for me are Get Rid Of It, Another Hundred Miles and Fall for Nothing – all with fabulous melodies and hulking guitars.

The album concludes with When I Keep You Close, a slower, more considered track and a comedown from the rest of the album. It's a nice way to finish, but it also gets me reaching to spin it again.

When I first heard Custody's debut album a few years ago, I made that mental note to try and catch them live if I got the chance. With this new album, the band have taken it up a gear to the extent that I now have them marked as essential to see live.

Like everyone else, their plans for touring this year have had to be ripped up. They were due in the UK before playing Booze Cruise in Hamburg where I was planning to catch them. Of course they'll be back and they've already said they'll be in Hamburg at Booze Cruise 2021. I've no doubt I'll know this album inside out by the time we get there.

Stream and download II on Bandcamp here.

Like Custody on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.