Gig Review: Manchester Punk Festival 2022: Day Three (by Colin and Emma)

(Emma’s parts are in italics.)

The third and final day of Manchester Punk Festival was here and promised to be just as busy as the previous couple of days. To start our day, we met up with our lovely pals Dan and Jess, the Vegan Punks for some delicious vegan fast food before heading to The Union for our first band of the day – the mighty Crazy Arm!

Crazy Arm hold a special place in my punk heart, since they were probably the first truly DIY punk band I ever saw live (around 12 years ago) and I have loved them ever since. Over the years their line-up has changed, as has their sound to a certain extent but the fact remains that they always put on a brilliant live show. We arrived in the room just as the band were kicking off their set and I quickly found my way to the front of the stage as the band churned out tracks from last year’s album, Dark Hands Thunderbolts, alongside classics such as Tribes, Still To Keep and Broken By The Wheel. Another top notch performance and the perfect start to the day.

Photo by Charlotte Corry

After Crazy Arm I rushed to Zombie Shack (via dropping some records off at the Air BNB) for Clayface. This was another of those times where I didn’t look at the schedule properly and thought I had a lot less time than I realised. Because of this I had to quickly say hi and bye to some friends because in my head I was running late. I felt bad about that. After dropping off the records, I bumped into some fine folk I know from New Cross Inn. They had said they didn’t really have a plan so I suggested they come and check out Clayface with me, which they did. Clayface were another late addition to the festival and brought their own style of gruff melodic punk to the stage. Clayface are a band I discovered on Bandcamp a few years ago and had yet to get the chance to see them live, much like every other band of the weekend they did not disappoint. Being a local band they seemed to have a good amount of pals in the crowd to support them and it created a wonderful atmosphere. This was one of those times I wish I’d have known more songs and I would’ve loved to have a proper sing-along but thoroughly enjoyed myself anyway. I spoke to the NXI folk afterwards and they said they had also enjoyed the set which pleased me. Then I had to dash off for my next set which was starting at The Union

After Crazy Arm, I met up with Robyn elsewhere in the crowd and we made a quick exit to head to Gorilla for the first band of the day there and one Robyn was especially excited to see – Signals Midwest. Signals Midwest are a four-piece from Ohio, USA, who play punk rock in a similar vein to Spanish Love Songs or The Menzingers. From the instant the band stepped foot on stage it was clear they were enthused to be there and it really showed throughout their energetic performance as they happily jumped around the stage. The set was mostly comprised of tracks from the album Dent, which had only been released a week or so prior so I was mostly unfamiliar, but it was all great. Emotionally charged pop punk music is definitely a big hit with me.

Photo by Emma Prew

The Infested were one of my biggest surprises of the day. I had heard of them previously but hadn’t ever bothered to check them out. What a big mistake that was. Before the festival the band announced they would be calling it a day this year so, after checking some songs before the festival, I decided I had to take this opportunity to see them as I might not get another chance. When I arrived back at The Union the band had already started their set. In that opening they had had some trouble with guitars and amps so the singer had decided to ditch his guitar and that they would just have to power through with one guitar. This didn’t stop them putting on a very energetic show with the band’s frontman taking the opportunity to dance around the stage and jump down to the barrier to join the crowd. Sadly they had to cut the set short as they ran out of songs they could play with one guitar but you have to commend The Infested for powering on and still delivering a fantastic set. After the set I had a chat with Ell from Baldhead And The Dreads where I asked why had I not been to see them before as they were so good.

Speaking of emotionally charged pop punk, up next at Gorilla it was time for the return of the sorely missed (by me personally but also, I’m sure, by many others) Shit Present. I’m not even going to tone it down, this was the set of the weekend that I was most looking forward to and as soon as I was singing and bopping along to familiar favourites such as Anxious Type and Melbourne it was like nothing else in the world mattered. Isn’t it great when music makes you feel like that? The band were obviously a bit nervous to be making their ‘come back’ after several years without playing live but the smiles on their faces showed just how stoked they were to be there. It wasn’t all old songs that Shit Present treated us to, they also shared that they’d just finished recording their debut album and played a couple of songs from it – oh my gosh, they sound absolutely amazing. I simply cannot wait for this album and for the next time I get to see this band live. PS. Iona, Robyn and I are both a bit in love with you. 

 

Photo by Emma Prew

Next I made my way to Zombie Shack for the final ever set for Don Blake. I arrived there quite early so I could sit and watch the beginning of the Crystal Palace vs Chelsea FA Cup Semi Final. As the beginning of the Don Blake set drew nearer, Zombie Shack began to fill very quickly. It soon got to capacity which was great for the band but a shame for any folk who wanted to see them one last time. We’ve been following the Bolton foursome since the beginning of CPRW but had only seen them one time before, at MPF 2016, so this was well overdue. Don Blake are one of the finest pop punk bands in the UK, always impressing me with their relentless hooks and some of the best vocal harmonies around. As this was their last ever set, they clearly tried to squeeze as many songs in as possible. It was nice to hear tracks from across their discography, this was a real best of and a great send off for the band. They’re a talented bunch and I’m keen to see what the guys do next.

Photo by Emma Prew

It’s been a good few years (maybe five?) since Colin and I first, and last, saw Northern Irish punk rockers Good Friend live. I know I enjoyed them that time but it was nothing compared to seeing them make their MPF – and Manchester – debut in Zombie Shack. This was DIY punk rock at its finest and the pure raw energy that the trio seemed to exude as they tore through their set was brilliant to watch. There was a bit of an endearing scrappiness to their performance and they kept us entertained between songs with jokes and banter. We were also treated to a guest appearance from everyone’s favourite UK-based acoustic punk troubadour, Sam Russo, who added guest vocals to one track. I expected to enjoy Good Friend but I didn’t expect to enjoy them quite as much as I did. One of the highlights of the weekend for sure and I hope to catch them live again soon.  

Photo by Emma Prew

Jaya The Cat were well into their set when we arrived after watching Good Friend. We only managed to catch three songs – Fake Carreras, Amsterdam and closer Here Come The Drums. Much like when we arrived late for The JB Conspiracy the day before, The Union was packed and the room was bouncing. During the part in Fake Carreras when they get everyone to sit down the whole room obliged, apart from the guy in front of us who had a patch claiming he didn’t like dogs, and then jumped back up in unison. I hope someone caught that moment on camera as that many people doing that must have made an awesome visual. I felt moved by this and made my way closer to the pit for final track Here Come The Drums. It was at this point I noticed the floor had gotten extremely sticky and was glad I hadn’t had to crouch down there for Fake Carreras. As I mentioned, I only got to see three songs for Jaya The Cat but what a fantastic three songs it was.

In quite a distinct shift in musical styles, next to take to the stage at The Union were London-based indie punks, Fresh. I’ve been lucky enough to see the band live more than a few times over the last couple of years and they always put on a fine show that is a lot of fun to be part of. This was Robyn’s first time seeing the band live after missing out the last few times they played (or were supposed to play) MPF and, so for that reason alone, this was going to be pretty special. The energy that this band generates on stage, especially that from Kathryn, is just wonderful to behold and it soon spreads into the crowd. Songs such as Girl Clout, Get Bent and Revenge were so cathartic to sing along to and I loved every second of Fresh’s set. Plus, it’s safe to say that Robyn thoroughly enjoyed finally getting to see Fresh live as well. What a band.

Photo by Emma Prew

After Fresh we made our way to Bread Shed for our choice of headliner, Roughneck Riot. As we arrived we discovered popular grime punks Riskee And The Ridicule still had some time left in their set. Like they have done every single time I’ve seen them, Riskee had the crowd in a wild frenzy, baying on every word that frontman Scott spat. Riskee are one of the hardest working DIY bands in the scene and it’s pleasing to see them get such rewards from all of their grafting. It was great to catch a bonus bit of their set.

Before the night’s headline band at The Bread Shed, Roughneck Riot, were ready to kick off their set, a familiar face appeared on stage to introduce the band. You may know Chris Lowry as being the face of the Warrington Ska Punk blog and podcast, but for this weekend he was serving as a sort of announcer before bands at the Bread Shed. I just must quote what he said before fellow Warrington punks Roughneck Riot, as his words were so poignant – "Today I realised the thing that makes MPF different from any other festival. At other festivals, the bands are these amazing distant heroes. At MPF, your friends are your heroes, and your heroes are your friends." And with that, the six-piece raucous folk punk troupe burst into a raw and passionate performance. It was my first time seeing the band since they went on hiatus before the pandemic as well as my first time hearing songs from their new album, Burn It To The Ground, played live. Of course, the set featured a selection of those newer tracks alongside older Roughneck classics. Everything was met with much enthusiasm from the crowd with people dancing, moshing, singing, crowdsurfing and just generally having a jolly old time. It was a tough choice between Sunday night’s headliners with Jeff Rosenstock and A Wilhelm Scream both playing at the same time but I don’t think that anyone in The Bread Shed at that moment regretted their decision for a second. Knowing how apprehensively excited Colin was to get in to see Plot 32 at Zombie Shack after the headline sets, we ducked out of Roughneck’s set a little early but had a lovely time while we were there nonetheless. 

Photo by Mark Farthing

The one set I was most anxious about getting in to for the whole weekend was Plot 32’s. The Leeds based ska punks were opening the after party at the tiny Zombie Shack and I expected it to quickly reach capacity. I, along with the New Cross Inn ska punk scene, all seemed to leave whatever headliners we were watching and arrived at the Zombie Shack about half an hour early just to make sure we got in. This proved to be a good idea as Zombie Shack quickly reached capacity. As the band squeezed onto the tiny stage there was a feeling of anticipation in the air and as soon as they opened their set (with Favourite Things, I think) the room began to move in an excited fashion. I quickly finished my pint of coke, partly as I was concerned about getting knocked and spilling it everywhere and partly because I wanted to join in with the party. Plot 32 were the perfect choice to open this party as there was so much joy and enthusiasm in the room. It had been a long weekend and we were feeling tired but having such a joyous dance with so many friends to a band that have become one of my favourites in the ska scene over the past couple of years was the best. Songs such as Issues, Remission, Save The World, their cover of the Vengaboys’ Boom Boom Boom and set closer Go Hard Or Go Home were all just perfect and made the choice to leave Roughneck Riot early even more worth it. Plot 32 are another band playing Level Up Festival in July and I can’t wait to see them again.

Photo by Mike Smith

As it had started raining for the first time ever at MPF, Emma and I arrived early at the Bread Shed for what was our planned final band, our friends from Denmark, Forever Unclean. As we arrived though, California act Corrupt Vision were just starting their set. As we arrived and I initially listened to the band, I was pretty sure this wouldn’t be for me. The thrashy grindcore nature of songs aren’t usually for me but then they started to add some ska up-stokes here and there and this was when they really won me over. I’m actually really easy to please – just play ska. Corrupt Vision turned out to be one of my biggest surprises and major highlights of the whole weekend. This is why it’s important to check out bands you’re not aware of at festivals and gigs in general, you will come across some absolutely cracking stuff.

And just like that it was time for the final band of our Manchester Punk Festival 2022 – Copenhagen’s Forever Unclean. You probably know, if you’ve read this blog before, that this Danish trio are one of our favourite bands and we are also lucky enough to call them our friends and so seeing them do their thing at the MPF 2022 after party was an absolutely pleasure. If you are unfamiliar with the band (where have you been?!) then let me tell you that they play short, fast-paced indie punk songs with a wonderfully cathartic and raw energy that can best be experienced in a live setting… and so, at the very front of the crowd, that is what we did. Spirits were high down the front and we all had a joyful time singing along to our favourite songs, new and old. This was the first time for many people, us included, to hear songs from the band’s debut album, Best, which was released earlier this year and they blended in perfectly alongside songs from EPs Float and Woof. Every last bit of energy remaining in the band – who I know had been enjoying the weekend as punters up until this point – and crowd was exuded here. The mass singalongs for Waves and Worthless were one of those truly special moments that make us realise just how much we love this scene and everyone in it. The perfect ending to the perfect weekend. 

Photo by Emma Prew

Manchester Punk Festival was the absolute best time. I can’t even fathom how much hard work and stress the organisers went through putting the event on and for everything to run as smoothly as it did is a real testament to the legends that put the festival on. Every set I saw was absolutely superb. Over the four days, I personally saw thirty eight different bands and if CPRW was the sort of site that dished out ratings based on a criteria that seems pretty random I’d be handing out a lot of tens. Something I always really appreciate about the work that MPF do is how they actually listen to their crowd and take on comments about things that haven’t been as good as they could be in previous years. For instance, when they first used the Union venue in 2019 it did feel a bit lifeless; however in 2022 The Union became one of my favourite venues of the whole festival. I don’t know what they did but there was always such a special atmosphere whenever I saw a band there, no matter what size the crowd was.

I feel like the whole overriding emotion that the majority of people had at the end of MPF 2022 was love. I loved being able to see so many great bands again. I loved seeing so many friends I haven’t been able to see for years. I loved being in the environment where the punk community could come together once again and celebrate this movement that has been built over the years. The wonderful Matt Speer of Ear Nutrition described the weekend as Nutritional. I couldn’t agree more. It’s been a tough few years for many reasons and to be back at MPF really felt like a bit of healing process had started. I can’t thank everyone from the organisers, volunteers, bar staff, sound people, (most of) the security, the friends and the strangers and the food places we visited enough for what was the most wonderful weekend.

Something I’ve just remembered and I’m going to add on here is about the amount of MPF first timers I spoke to who had the best time. It feels like once you go to the festival once you’re definitely going to make it an annual event if possible. This has got to be down to the incredible community spirit that surrounds the festival, along with the incredible amount of talent that gets booked to play. I’m already so excited for MPF 2023. Tickets are already so sale, get one now and don’t miss out.

This review was written by Colin Clark and Emma Prew.

Gig Review: Till The Fest Day Three 10/10/21

I think it’s fair to say that after two days of Till The Fest we were beginning to get tired but there was also much excitement running through my body as today was Lightyear day! One of my favourite bands ever, returning to my favourite venue, surrounded by loads of friends from all around the UK. It was going to be a special day.

We started our day by meeting our good friends Matt and Charlotte from Ear Nutrition and Mark from INiiT Records and Our Lives In Cinema at the New Cross House for a Sunday roast. It was lovely to catch up with some wonderful people. With a bit of time to kill before the first band of the day, after we ate we ventured upstairs of the New Cross House to check out the record fair. Up there we hung out with Mark, who was selling CDs from his INiit Records distro, and we got to see John Allen from Disconnect Disconnect Records and picked up a couple of records from him.

Records bought, we headed to Amersham Arms for the first band of the day, BaldHead And The Dreads. I couldn’t think of a better way to start the third day of Till The Fest. The fun loving foursome always put a massive smile on my face whenever I see them play and in all honesty this might have been my favourite time seeing them live. Obviously BHATD are a band that don’t take themselves too seriously, they do this because it’s fun and it really comes across on stage. That’s something I really appreciate whenever I see them. There are plenty of songs about drugs and dogs, the band’s two favourite things, but on their most recent EP they also step into the world of politics on the song First Class War (probably my favourite of their songs). Whatever they’re singing about, the band’s excellent musicianship and knack of a witty lyric always shines through. If we were the sort of website that gives out ratings, we’d give a 10/10 for fun ways to start a day.

Our original plan was to see Bottlekids next but unfortunately they had to pull out of the festival so we decided to hang out at Amersham to check out Norwich five piece Southpaw. Southpaw are a band that I’ve been aware of for years but never managed to check out. I assume they don’t play many shows anymore and when they do they are around the Norfolk area. I didn’t really know what to expect from the band but I think the best way to describe them is as an alternative punk rock band. Their songs ooze melody and the band’s lead singer had some great pipes on him. My highlight was watching their guitarist bounce around the stage, pulling silly faces and generally just messing around. Very entertaining. He reminded me of Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals in many ways.

Next were On A Hiding To Nothing. I used to see these guys quite regularly in London before members began to move around the country. During lockdown the band managed to record and release a brand new album named We’ll Probably Be Fine, which is due to be physically released by Cat’s Claw Records and Bearded Punk Records – keep an eye out for that. Their set was comprised almost entirely of songs from the album. I don’t think I’ve given it nearly enough time and after hearing it live I look forward to giving it plenty more spins. On A Hiding To Nothing play super fast, super melodic skate punk. Whenever I watch them I’m blown away by just how quickly the band play their songs. What’s even more impressive is how bass player Jack manages to bounce around the stage with such force whilst still playing his instrument. I always get a bit worried watching Jack bounce around on stage as I can still remember the time he ruined his knee on stage a few years ago. With every stamp I wince just a little bit. It’s good to see that he seems to have made a full recovery though. This was another exhilarating set from On A Hiding To Nothing.

After On A Hiding To Nothing we made our way to New Cross Inn, where we had planned on spending the rest of our day. We arrived as The Social Club were already way into their set. We bumped into some friends who informed us that the ladies toilets had basically exploded and had given the venue a particularly shitty scent. I, for some reason, couldn’t smell it so that was a bonus for me! Something that was not at all shitty was The Social Club. I only got to see four or five songs but I was very impressed. Fronted by former Captain Everything member Lewis, the band played more of a melody driven, indie rock style that’s a lot of fun. Despite the apparent scent, the venue was still very busy and a lot of people squeezed down to the front for a sing and dance to the band. I was amused by the pledge that the band got the crowd to say, joining ‘The Social Club’, it reminded me of Dave Gorman’s commandments from Are You Dave Gorman? That’s a twenty year old reference. Hopefully you get it.

At the conclusion of The Social Club’s set we popped a couple of doors down to Beirut for some dinner to set us up for the rest of the night. Have you tried their falafel wrap yet? I seriously suggest you do. After another delicious dinner and making use of a non-exploded toilet we returned to NXI for Nervus. Nervus are a band I always enjoy immensely whenever I see them live but never seem to listen to them when I’m at home. That’s something I seriously need to amend because what a fantastic group of songwriters the band are. With each song they get better and better and certainly seem like a well oiled machine. I’m not sure whether or not that this was Nervus’ first show back since lockdown but, if it was, I’m even more impressed by how good they were. Front person Em has one of the best voice in punk rock. They have this wonderful ability to grab the entire room’s attention and have them baying on their every word. Songs such as Sick Sad World and It Follows go down extremely well with the crowd, as does They Don’t, which felt especially poignant given everything that’s come to light about the Met Police in recent weeks. Nervus have built up a reputation as one of the UK’s best bands in recent years and it’s hard to argue that it isn’t true.

Next up were UK punk rock legends Crazy Arm. The Devonshire punks have been a big part of the DIY scene for as long as I can remember now and earlier this year they finally released their long-awaited new album, Dark Hands, Thunderbolts, which they spent the week leading up to Till The Fest touring. I took up a spot on the side of the New Cross stage ready to just stare in awe at one of the best bands in the country. Crazy Arm decided to start their set five minutes earlier than scheduled to allow them to play an extra song – which was fine by us. The set had a perfect blend of tracks from the new album along with so many old favourites. The band got the crowd moving from the very start of their set and I had a great time from my view point watching friends at the front of crowd loose their minds dancing and singing along to the band. For their latest album and recent live shows Crazy Arm have added another vocalist, Tia Kalmaru, to their ensemble who really gave an extra layer to their live show. Not only did they provide some excellent harmonies but did a fantastic job in keeping the crowd’s energy up throughout the set. At one point they even spent some time down in the front of the crowd having a dance which was a great touch. After a blisteringly good thirty five or so minutes the band finished on Tribes and gave the crowd one last big sing-along.

Our penultimate band of the weekend was Apologies, I Have None. Even ignoring the pandemic and lockdown, it felt like forever since I last saw Apologies, I Have None. They are a band that I seemingly used to see every other month and were a big part of my introduction into the DIY scene so it definitely felt fitting for their big comeback to be at Till The Fest. NXI was packed with people expecting an emotional experience and that’s exactly what they received. Over the years, the band have become masters of creating a mesmerising atmosphere wherever they play. The whole room seems completely transfixed on the stage during the entirety of the set and explode into life for some of the biggest sing-alongs of the weekend. The last few times I’ve seen the band, lead singer and guitarist Josh has provided plenty of humorous banter between songs but on this occasion it was all business, with the band seamlessly moving from one song to the next. Each song was shouted passionately back at the band, each time they started a new track it felt like this was the crowd’s collective favourite ever. It’s always great to hear Concrete Feet live, the band showed off their fun side by setting off a confetti cannon during The 26 (I think it was The 26, feel free to correct me) and the sing-along during Sat In Vicky Park was one of those you had to be there to really understand just how special it was moments. This was unsurprisingly very close to being my favourite set of the entire weekend. Welcome back Apologies, I Have None.

It’s no secret for long time readers of CPRW that Lightyear are my favourite band. When they got announced for Till The Fest I could not have been happier. For me, the whole weekend really lead up to this moment – Lightyear taking to the New Cross Inn stage for what could be the last ever time. Unfortunately trumpet player Neil couldn’t make the show but the wonderful Pook would be deputising on trombone. I love watching Pook dance around on stage so this was a lovely bonus. The venue must’ve been at capacity at this point for a band that are one of the most important bands in the history of UK DIY punk. What’s always great about watching Lightyear is that you never know what to expect. I don’t think Lightyear really know themselves what’s going to happen when they take to the stage. It’s a whacky ride that everyone in the building ends up on. As soon as the band began their set you know it’s going to be a chaotic and messy hour and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Frontman Chas Palmer-Williams, the finest lyricist of his generation, is a whirlwind on stage.  There’s a whole load of messing around going on whilst singing some of the most meaningful words ever recorded. At one point Chas comes to the side of stage, picks up a roll of blue paper towels and for no reason whatsoever – other than Lightyear – launches it into the crowd. At another point he unplugs his microphone for the crowd to sing into and then tries singing into the aux cable – because Lightyear. During Blindside the band is joined on the already cramped stage by people dressed as a horse and a jockey. They came on a little too early which added to the chaos that was happening before us. If you’ve witnessed the nonsense that is Lightyear before, you’ll know that very often after the band provide us with their Morris dancing breakdown the ‘horse’ comes on stage. Speaking of Morris dancing, the band seemed to improvise, instead of using proper sticks they had tooth picks which we thought was hilarious. If you hadn’t seen the band before you probably had no idea what was happening, but you will next time. Naturally they finished the set with A Pack Of Dogs, which again turned into chaos with the harmonies on the breakdown getting everyone on stage and in the crowd confused. I think it’s impossible to see Lightyear live and come away with anything other than a massive smile on your face. Even Matt Ear Nutrition had a big smile on his face at the end of the set and he is not a fan of all this trumpety nonsense. Lightyear are the best, I can’t wait for their next last ever show.

Now’s the time where I write a summation of the entire weekend. I think it’s quite a hard thing to really summarise well as it was such a special weekend for so many different reasons. The last eighteen months has been very difficult for all the obvious reasons and, for me, Till The Fest felt like someone had finally hit play again after life was paused for so long. For many people this would have been their first shows back, or their first time back in London, or even their first time being amongst so many friends again. I personally got to spend some quality time with so many brilliant people, people I’ve known for years, people I’ve met recently or even people I met for the first time at the festival and it really lifted me. I probably didn’t see as many bands as I normally would at a festival but I did get to experience being in that special punk festival environment that I had missed so much. As you will know after reading this three part review, every band I did see absolutely killed it and from what I understand all the bands I didn’t get to see did too.

So much love needs to go to Ollie and his team of volunteers for not just organising the weekend but ensuring it ran so smoothly. As I said in part one of this review, I was a little sceptical on Till The Fest actually happening but I am so grateful for Ollie for persisting and getting Till The Fest done. It was a real life affirming weekend for me and I’m sure many more people in attendance. I’m already excited to see what Till The Wheel gets organised for next year’s festival. I’ve already got my ticket, have you got yours? One more time, thank you Ollie for everything!

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Colin and Emma Prew.

Album Review: Dark Hands, Thunderbolts by Crazy Arm (by Emma Prew)

It’s been seven long years since Devon roots punks Crazy Arm released their last album, the somewhat stripped back alt-country Southern Wild. A lot has changed in that time and I feel more in need of new music from this band than ever before. Dark Hands, Thunderbolts is the name of Crazy Arm’s fourth album and, as one of the UK’s most-loved DIY punk bands, there’s no denying that this release has been highly anticipated. Originally recorded back in 2016, with the final finishing touches having been put in place over the summer of 2020, the album has been a long time in the making.

Dark Hands, Thunderbolts sees the band return to the loud, fast riffs and Americana twang of their first two albums which, to be honest, is the Crazy Arm I want to hear. It might have been a long time coming but I have no doubt that this album will be well worth the wait. Darren was kind enough to send me an early preview of the album which, as a long-time Crazy Arm fan (they were literally the first DIY punk band I discovered), was incredibly appreciated. At the time of writing this, the album has not been released yet but by the time this review is published you’ll be able to check it out for yourself – so go, go, go!

Dark Hands, Thunderbolts certainly gets off to a flying start with the volume levels seemingly cranked up within the first few notes of the album’s opening track, Montenegro. It’s a dramatic sounding 30 seconds or so of instrumentation before things ramp up further for a fast and furious first verse. The track was written after a touring mishap in which the band were travelling to Slovenia, refused entry to Serbia, took a ‘shortcut’ through the Albanian mountains and ended up driving along a stunning Montenegro coastline only to arrive at the show with a small audience in attendance and minutes to spare. In summary, it wasn’t worth it but it was a lesson learnt and a story to tell – plus it makes for a fine album opener. Blessed And Cursed starts more slowly than the previous track with Darren’s powerful vocals declaring ‘There's hope for you and there's hope for me, But there's no hope for us, We washed our hands of these troubled lands, And left without much fuss, with no-one left to trust’. It’s a bold opening that leads us into a bluesy punk rock tune with slower paced verses intertwined between hard hitting, err, other verses. It’s hard to specifically categorise one section of the song as being a chorus or a bridge, instead the whole song seems to build triumphantly throughout its duration until a rather abrupt but suitable ending. Fun fact: This is the first Crazy Arm track to feature a trumpet (Simon Dobson) but hopefully not the last. (Spoiler alert: There’s more coming up.)

The foot-stompingly energetic and awesome ball of energy Brave Starts Here is next up. It’s a track I’ve been listening to a lot over the past few months, since the band released it as the first single from the album in November, and is also one I’m pretty sure I’ve heard live – although who knows when the last time I saw Crazy Arm live was! Described as ‘occupying that sweet spot between bluegrass and punk rock’ and featuring some suitably earwormy riffs and lyrical content, it’s easy to see why this was chosen as the lead single from Dark Hands, Thunderbolts. I can already imagine this song being a crowdpleaser alongside classics such as Still To Keep and Tribes, maybe it’s something about those soaring whoa-ohs towards the end of the track. One thing Crazy Arm have always been very good at is creating hugely atmospheric sounding songs that feel like the pages of a novel brought to life. That’s exactly the feeling I get from the fourth track, Fear Up. Something about the way the song switches from gentle finger picked guitars to a chugging rhythm section and onto an almost eerie, resonating guitar part which is later completed with a distinct trumpet melody, just feels so cinematic. Lyrically, the song is a dark one (‘Lonesome and tender, broken and gone, Death loves a cold heart, death wait your turn.’) and the title itself is US military slang for silencing citizens through the threat of violence. A powerful and thought-provoking track if ever there was one.

Dark Hands, Thunderbolts features two instrumental interludes and the first of which, Dearborn, is up next. The violin (Samantha Spake) takes centre stage and the track feels very much like a continuation of the cinematic feelings I was getting with the previous song. It’s a beautiful piece of music that seems to allow the listener to pause for breath and contemplate. As the violins fade away we are soon thrust into a distortion heavy and bassy introduction to the sixth track on the album, The Golden Hind. Injecting political themes into their music is certainly nothing new for Crazy Arm and with The Golden Hind they take aim at the band’s Brexit-voting hometown – ‘So please be kind to The Golden Hind, And say oh-oh-oh-oh, It’s not our fault that we’re deaf, dumb and blind, We say oh-oh-oh-oh.’. The passion and frustration is clear throughout the track’s three and a half minute duration – this is definitely a song to be played loud. Starting out with an attention-grabbing bass line and simple drum beat, Loose Lips is another song that is begging to be played really loud – basically, this whole album needs the volume cranked right up! The song is a truly powerful ode in solidarity with refugees. In fact, for much of the song, the lyrics seem to be from the point of view of the refugee – ‘Personification of dependency, I’m the one who knocks upon the door of need, Demystification got a hold of me, Watch the scales fall from my eyes and set me free.’. I imagine most Crazy Arm listeners are decent human beings who already sympathise with refugees but, on the off chance there are some who are less kind, maybe this song will win them over. It’s an incredible track either way.

Mow The Sward takes a slightly different turn musically, reining in a notch on the post-hardcore vibes of the previous couple of songs and instead going for a more straight up melodic, almost heartland rock style. There are parts of the song that wouldn’t sound out of place on Crazy Arm’s debut album, Born To Ruin, but that definitely doesn’t mean that this is a rehashing of old material. In fact, wedged in between the heavier sounding tracks, it sounds uplifting and fresh. Mow The Sward also features one of my favourite bridge parts of the album – ‘Fuck your views and fuck your advice, Think good thoughts and live a bad life, Gotta move fast, gotta work hard, Gotta knuckle down and play the right chords, Not comatose, not under-dosed, You gotta push ’til you explode, It's all the same, it always is.’ The ninth song of Dark Hands, Thunderbolts is titled …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Meds. It’s a frantic sounding song and, at less than two and a half minutes in length, is a pretty short one by Crazy Arm standards. Both of these elements further emphasise the theme of the song: mental health. In particular, the song focusses on the taking of medication – hence the title – to deal with ongoing depression. It’s a hard hitting track, both lyrically and musically, but is one that some listeners no doubt will be able to relate to. Paradiso is the second of Dark Hands, Thunderbolts’ two interludes and it somehow manages to feel even more cinematic than the first. The star of the show here is the almost dreamlike trumpet playing which is subtly backed up by gentle guitar strumming. It’s a melancholic interval that once again provides the listener with a moment’s pause before we get back into the last part of the album.

The eleventh song of the album comes in the form of the anthemic Epicurean Firestorm. The band were apparently trying for an Arcade Fire style song here which I guess they’ve achieved in that it sounds like a song that could be played in front of a large arena audience, with plenty of ‘Oh oh ohs’ for the crowd to sing back at the band. Overall, the track feels like a call to arms for like minded folk to stand up and be the change that they want to see. Let’s face it, we are living in dark times with the pandemic and climate change just two of the world’s biggest problems – ‘An epic plague, an epic fire, A new disease, a new desire, An endless flood, a killer swarm, We'll have to learn to save ourselves.’. As the album begins to draw to a close, don’t think for a second that Crazy Arm are about to tone things down. Howl Of The Heart is a passionate, reverberating punk rock number that has just the right level of Americana twang for it to be instantly recognisable as a Crazy Arm song. With the chorus mentioning open roads, lonesome crows and hungry wolves, I feel instantly transported to some far off North American mountain range… Did I mention that Crazy Arm have a knack for creating music that feels like you’re reading a book?

The penultimate song of Dark Hands, Thunderbolts is Demonised, channeling feelings of existential dread. Beginning slowly with a repetitive and firm guitar riff, there’s a feeling of building throughout the track’s duration which feels appropriate given that we are almost at the end of the album. Relatively speaking this is one of the more slow paced songs on the album but things do pick up, in terms of pace and volume, for a memorable chorus of ‘Call a doctor, chiropractor, Troubled waters run deep, Call a doctor, call a lawyer, Note to self: don't forget to breathe.’ and beyond into the track’s frenetic bridge. It’s a stark contrast when we come to Dark Hand, Thunderbolts’ closing track which kicks off with a distinctly bluegrass-sounding riff. Health Is In You! is perhaps a case of saving the best for last as this is one hell of a song. It’s catchy, it’s fiery and most importantly it is defiantly pro-feminist. The track is described as being a ‘rejection of patriarchy, a celebration of sensitivity, and a refusal to stay silent in the face of everyday sexism’ and I’d like to say that we don’t need songs like this in 2021, but we do. So, thank you Crazy Arm. ‘Just don't say it if you can't defend it, Just don't do it, we can all see through it, Just don't say shit if you can't defend it, I don't wanna, I don't wanna hear it, Just don't say it if you can't defend it, Man, don't say shit if you can't defend it.’

I’ll be honest, I am not used to reviewing albums that have more than ten songs on them – and Dark Hands, Thunderbolts has fourteen – but this is such a complex and well thought out, wide-ranging collection of songs that no song sounds out of place or unnecessary as part of the whole package. It’s an ambitious fourth album, that’s for sure, but I certainly think Crazy Arm have pulled it off.

Dark Hands, Thunderbolts is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings and you can find it in all the usual places, including on Bandcamp where you can pre-order the vinyl (which is due to ship in mid-March).

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This review was written by Emma Prew.