Album Review: Noise Noise Noise by The Last Gang (by Ilse R. Smit)

CW: Mention of sexual assault and related trauma when discussing New Skin (#7).

I’ve basically been waiting for months to write a review for the new The Last Gang album, and I’m so excited the time has finally come! Noise Noise Noise, the second album released under Fat Wreck Chords, was released on October 8th, produced by Cameron Webb (who also worked on their previous album, Keep Them Counting), Fat Mike (NOFX) and Yotam Ben Horin (Useless ID). In April 2019, I went to Dortmund to see Bad Cop/Bad Cop play. Dortmund is fairly close and easy to reach through public transport from where I live in the Netherlands. Also the ticket price was affordable to begin with, and somehow they managed to book eight bands ranging from local bands (Molly Punch, Detlef, Scherben) to international acts such as Not On Tour and, you guessed it, The Last Gang.

I’ve been a fan of the band ever since I heard Sing For Your Supper for the first time, as I was preparing myself for the trip. And while the point here is to talk music, I have to point out that this band consists of lovely people. I didn’t get to talk to all of them that much, but they were all super nice. Mind you, I didn’t even get to see them play that night. The stage was low, maybe even floor level, and the room was packed by the time I came in. I did end up seeing their performance later that tour, when they opened for Less Than Jake (with Belgian support band The Rocket) in Dynamo, Eindhoven (NL). I know for a fact that they were pretty tired earlier that day, as they’d been touring pretty much non-stop for about a week and a half. However, as soon as they set foot on stage, they gave it their everything. You would’ve never been able to tell. The performance was on point on all the levels you can imagine and I can’t wait to see them again in 2022.

I’m basically giving you the music review version of food-bloggers that post recipes underneath their life story and I’m sorry. Kind of. TLDR: I love this band. Now, if you’ll allow me, please let me walk you through The Last Gang’s Noise Noise Noise.

We start off with the title track, one of the more reggae infused songs on the album. I’ll admit that I’m not too familiar with reggae, I quite like what they’ve done though! The choice to open with a track that is a bit more dreamy/laid back, instead of a song that blows through your ears like it just burst through your front door is an interesting one, something it has in common with the song itself in my opinion. It’s definitely not what I expected to hear with the title being ‘Noise Noise Noise’. When listening to this song, you can hear singer and guitarist Brenna Red wander through her memories of the scene she grew up in, that things aren’t the way they were back in the day. There are a couple of instances where the song really builds up, only to fall right back into its preceding energy-level. While that can be really frustrating in some instances, I think it really suits the song. Just as Red is about to snap out of her day dream-like state fuelled by these memories, it’s the music that drags her back into it. It makes the song haunting, in a way. Random note: the lyric “Take the 42 north past Electric to ride” makes me think of SNL’s Californians. No? Just me?

WFTW, the second track, stands for “We Fucked The World”. I decided to read the lyrics before I listened to the song for the first time and I’m impressed. The lyrics are quite dark, but they make it sound so catchy and fun! I wanna dance to this song about how the world is on fire and how it’s all our fault. You can tell that the lyrics have been written somewhere in the past year and a half. The song is a bit more upbeat, changing tempos here and there to let those reggae elements shine. I have a feeling we’ll get to hear more of it as the record progresses, but I think this song also showcases Brenna’s range. One moment her voice sounds very warm, a tad edgy (kind of like if Dan Andriano’s voice and Matt Skiba’s voice had a baby), a moment later she’s loud, on the brink of screaming. Around the midpoint of the song we are gifted a wonderful guitar solo by Ken Aquino. Although Ken is not an unfamiliar face if you’ve been able to catch the band live the past couple years, this is his first TLG record, as their lead guitarist. The outro is fairly long, which I didn’t really expect of the second song. It makes me wonder whether they’ll “come back”. They don’t, but I’m okay with that. We’re floating, slowly drifting away. Where to? Only the next track can tell.

The drifting quickly turns into the straight forward punk rock song Prosthetic Lost Cause. The band does a very good job in creating some sort eeriness and intensity in the verses, an ambiance I love to bathe in. The lyrics are interesting, as it deals with mental health issues and the side effects it brings along. It’s not a sad song though, it’s more about immersing yourself in that darkness and loving it. There’s definitely times during the periods I’ve been depressed where I felt a similar way. That I was able to see beauty in that darkness and that, in a way, I enjoyed feeling miserable. And although I think the song comes at it from a different perspective, I appreciate its content. The bridge brings back that floaty feeling I was mentioning earlier. The song is over before you know it though, a good one to put on repeat when you’re in a particular kind of mood (or any mood for that matter).

Enter Shameless, the fourth track. Remember Brenna’s exceptional voice I mentioned earlier? This is the track. The track is an homage to Trump if you will, haha. I’m sure we all have people in our lives, in politics or in our day to day, that are just downright horrible and we just can’t wait to see them crash and burn. It’s so frustrating when they just keep getting out of situations unscathed, keep getting away with their bullshit. If that sounds recognisable, this is your new punk rock anthem. It’ll help keeping your eye on the prize, taking the high road is overrated. You’re welcome.

Panic Dreaming starts off as a campfire-y song. Very minimal, just vocals and an acoustic guitar, later accompanied by bass. Not for long though, because the band quickly flips the switch and goes all amplified and out. The vulnerability of the acoustic part really suits the main question in the song: what happens after we die? It’s a topic most people don’t like to talk about and the mental cycles we can spiral into are scary. I love the timing of the heavy powerchords that come in as Brenna sings “Panic Dreaming Dystopia” because I think that’s exactly what that would sound like! It gets more upbeat after that though, because it would have been too heavy/confronting if the rest of the song wasn’t as darn melodic as it is. Special shout out to the backing vocals.

Gimme Action can definitely be classified as a call to, well, action. I can’t imagine this song not being inspired by the insurgence of the BLM movement we’ve seen this past year and I appreciate that. In the track by track breakdown on Brooklyn Vegan, Brenna tells more about the chorus and the story of La Mulâtresse Solitude. I don’t think I’ve heard about her before, but her story is both awe inspiring and grim. I really encourage you to read it, we don’t spend enough time learning about people like her and I’m glad I did (a little bit). On a lighter note: I usually have a hard time (compared to other instruments) distinguishing the bass from the rest of the music in songs. If you’re anything like me in that regard, this song makes it very easy for us to enjoy and appreciate Sean Viele’s bass skills and, for that, I am grateful.

New Skin really hits home. It’s kind of painful to listen to, because of how relatable and real it is. I don’t want to group survivors of sexual assault together with people who have not been in similar situation, but at the end of the day pretty much every woman or person of another marginalised gender has been affected by sexually transgressive behaviour or feel like they need to protect themselves from it. It’s also very powerful though, we don’t have to deal with this all by ourselves and that feeling of togetherness also resonates with me as I listen to this song. Musically and vocally it’s definitely a solid song, although I do wonder if it’ll be a track I’ll put on repeat a lot after writing about it. And for anyone who needs to hear it: you’re not broken, but it’s okay if that how you’re feeling right now.

We pick back up with Paris Green, a very cheery song about how the world is on fire: environmental edition. Money can buy you many things, but a liveable planet for future generations? We’re not quite there (yet… Fucking space race). I love all the different topics that have passed the review so far. Really makes you think about how capitalism/(neo)colonialism/imperialism is really fucking things up. *Puts on Gimme Action again.*

Second to last is Intelligence Is A Plague, referring to the time we live in where facts are considered opinions and vice versa. A very current topic unfortunately. The track is a bit grungy, I can’t quite put my finger on it and I don’t have the right words for it, but the guitar sound (I don’t know effect names) and the way Brenna Red sings really go there. The 6/8 time is cool too. If you’re a layman like me, that means that instead of dividing a beat in two, the one-and, it’s divided in three with emphasis on the first count. If that doesn’t help, you’ll hear it when you listen to the drums. Learning (together) is fun! But it’s kind of an odd track in that way, very different with all those different elements thrown together – very cool. If I hadn’t known any better, I think it would have made a good closer of the album. The lower tempo and the different vocal harmonies/backings really give the outro a very drifty feel and it could have easily ended there. But it doesn’t!

To The King has a bit of a dramatic/theatrical intro and I’m here for it. The album goes out with a bang though, because To The King is haunting in an enjoyable way. It has everything – lyrics you can belt out (that’ll be so much fun live), some final guitar-heavy showing off parts, range, drama and intrigue. I feel like it could be in a musical/rock opera. I think that, out of all the songs, the meaning/lyrics of this one is the most metaphorical which might also give it the more theatrical vibe I’m getting. It’s about pursuing ones passion and having to jump through hoops, having to compromise to be able to continue that pursuit. This song is surely not the only track where this is the case, but I have to point out Robert’s drumming. Not only do I think that it’s excellent, there’s this pattern/rhythm thing he does in several songs – for the life of me I have no idea what it’s called (cool story bro). What I do know is that I really like it and I’m always stoked to hear it. So Robert, whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it! Anyway, great finish!

Overall opinion: amazing album. Some things jump out more than others, but I really like all the different elements that can be found when listening to Noise Noise Noise front to back. I’m sure as I listen to it more in the future, I’ll still find new things that’ll suddenly stand out to me. I pretty much always appreciate songs about social issues and, well, The Last Gang is just really good at doing what they do! Keep it up Gang!

Stream and download Noise Noise Noise here.

Follow The Last Gang on Facebook and Instagram.

This review was written by Ilse R. Smit.

Album Review: Dancing With The Curse by Get Dead (by Rich Bailey)

Now signed to Fat Mike’s Fat Wreck Chords, this is San Francisco Get Dead’s fifth long player. Overall, the vocal arrangement is reminiscent of Matt Caughthran of The Bronx/The Drips with some early Tim Armstrong thrown in too [no bad thing in this reviewer’s humble opinion] – think Suicide Machines mix of hardcore/ska vocals, but by one vocalist rather than two. There is a definite ska/punk vibe through a good percentage of the tracks whilst some others have story arcs that evoke Drive By Truckers.

Stand out tracks include album opener Disruption; a slow burner that increases in pace from an acoustic sounding start to sudden energy, back to spoken word through to a ska-punk guitar/bass/vocal sound reminiscent of early Mad Caddies.

Second track Nickel Plated is more of a straight forward punk song that wouldn’t sound out of place on ‘… And Out Come The Wolves’; there’s a very slight Joe Strummer feeling about the lyrical arrangement, especially in the delivery of lines like “She fell in love with a criminal, I keep a bag under the bed, For the day I steal her away”. The track ends with a sample from the movie Sling Blade - “We don't got no goddamn band!; we don't need to fucking practice, Randy!”. Which I’ve heard sampled before, but can’t quite remember where.

Fire Sale is a joyful sounding rant about getting old and reminiscing about past endeavours; thieving, drinking, fighting: “These battle wounds on display, these scars we earn”.

Stick Up is the longest track on the album – and at 3:43, that’s impressive. Although it’s really difficult to decide, it is my favourite song. A warning of what life is really like behind the vacuous façade perpetrated by pretty much one and all. A great mix of hardcore vocals and then toned down to deliver killer lines like “This place is collapsing, hordes of uncontrollable bastards, they are coming for you, I see them moving, they’re fucking breathing, it feels like this place is cursed, so do your worst”; reminds me slightly of Rated ‘R’ era Queens of the Stone Age or The Bronx’s second studio album from 2006.

At the risk of assessing each and every track, I’ll mention just a few more: Glitch is the shortest song on the LP and is a tuneful, growly lament about friendships split apart by geography; 8 Track is full on upbeat ska; Green’s Girl and Confidence Game are both all-out punk rock songs with vocals that go to and fro between band members; Pepperspray, an acoustic track, is a bit like a US version of Frank Turner and probably my second fave song; Hard Times and album closer Take It are both great examples of the ska-punk genre with croaky/gravelly vox.

Damn, I namechecked and assessed every track. This really is a great album; if you’re into Rancid, The Bronx, Suicide Machines (and to be honest, even if you’re not), this really is a great album, and at $10 for the download – about £7 – it’s worth every penny (sorry, cent).

Stream and download Dancing With The Curse on Bandcamp here.

Like Get Dead on Facebook here.

This review was written by Rich Bailey.

Album Review: Revolution Spring by The Suicide Machines

I must admit that when a band decides to release a new album for the first time in a long time I’m always a bit sceptical. In my experience, they might turn out to be good but they never hold a candle to their earlier material. When long running Detroit ska punk act The Suicide Machines announced they would be releasing their first album in fifteen years on Fat Wreck Chords this year my sceptical nature returned. Then I heard the first single from Revolution Spring, titled Awkward Always, and I became very excited for this record. It did not disappoint and has been on constant rotation at CPRW towers ever since. Frankly, it’s taken me way too long to get round to reviewing this album but here it is.

Revolution Spring opens with Bully In Blue. Unsurprisingly, The Suicide Machines kick things off in a hard hitting way with this song about racism throughout the police force. The song starts the album off in an energetic fashion with some of Rich Tschirhart’s bass lines really stealing the show. I was also immediately reminded how much I love Jason Navarro’s vocals – in my opinion it’s one of the most underrated vocals in punk rock. Up next is the brilliant first single Awkward Always. This is a more ska sounding song about feeling like you never fit in as a child and continuing to have that feeling through your adulthood. In the punk and ska scene, I imagine this song hits a chord with a lot of people so it was a great choice as a lead single. It’s also a lot of fun to skank and dance along to and the refrain with the great gang vocals will bring a crowd together. Babylon Of Ours looks at the subject of politicians profiteering on war and using the media to divide the people rather than trying to unite them. Musically it’s mostly played at a steady beat, allowing the message of the song to really stand out. The use of the keyboard throughout the song adds a great extra element without taking anything away from the song. The fourth song is titled Flint Hostage Crisis. This shows off the heavier side of The Suicide Machines sound. Navarro adds a little spite and anger to the way in which he delivers his vocal on the track. It’s about the people who have to live in poverty-like conditions in a nation as rich as the United States because the rich only look after themselves. The fact that this kind of thing is happening is really sad and I’m glad The Suicide Machines chose to put some light on this topic as I’m sure there are plenty of people unaware it’s even happening.

To Play Caesar (Is To Be Stabbed To Death) sees the band go back to more an uptempo ska sound that you can dance along with. Despite the fun nature of the song, it again carries quite a serious message about how people seem to pick pointless battles with each other rather than uniting against the people who really oppress them. Trapped In A Bomb is one of Revolution Spring’s sadder tracks. Because of this, the ska sound is taken out and we’re treated to a mid-tempo punk rock song instead. It’s a track dedicated to a lost friend, speaking of missing them and dealing with the grief that the death has caused. It’s interesting to hear this softer side of The Suicide Machine as it’s not something they’ve often displayed during their long career. The tempo is brought right back up on track seven – Detroit Is The New Miami. This is a fast paced hardcore track about how the Earth is in big danger and people are still denying that anything is wrong and are more interesting in making money than preserving our futures. There’s no surprise that the band went hardcore on this song as they are rightfully furious that this is being allowed to happen. Eternal Contrarian brings us to the halfway point of Revolution Spring. On this song, Navarro sings about constantly pushing in a different direction to someone and the problems it creates. Sticking with a straight forward punk sound, this is another of the softer Suicide Machines tracks. I love the variation that the first half of the record brought.

Well Whiskey Wishes is half a fast paced pop punk track and half a slow paced ska reggae song. I was kind of reminded of Rehasher during the speedier section which perhaps isn’t too surprising given that Roger Lima co-produced the album with the band. This track looks at what happens when you deal with having a bad day by drinking whiskey. The contrast in the two halves of the song is a delight and the subtle brass lines really add a lot to the song. Black Tar Halo sees the band hit top speed. It’s impressive how we can hit track ten and the band are still finding ways to grab your attention and still make you want more and more. This is another sad song about someone with a drug addiction and how they look to take advantage of people to get their next fix. Empty Time is almost a modern take on a more traditional two tone sound and I’m really into it. It’s about looking back at your past and thinking about the things you’ve done, before ultimately deciding to just move on. The opening guitar riff of Impossible Possibilities had me ready for a big party song. It’s a positive song about unity and thinking about what we can achieve if we found a way to work together. This kind of message was something that Revolution Spring has been missing up until this point. It warmed my heart to hear a song like this and it does give me hope that things can get better. The chorus was fantastic – “can you imagine what this could become, with hope and love and a little communication, can you imagine what this could become, with unity, fire and inspiration.”

Potter’s Song is a complete re-working of the Break Anchor song Defiant Culture. If you don’t know who Break Anchor are then they are another Detroit punk rock band who have ties with The Suicide Machines. They’ve taken the original, which is more of a heavy hitting street punk song, and given it more of a ska punk treatment which I honestly feel has improved the song. It’s about that punk rock staple of fighting the man and taking back what you think is yours. Simple adds some more positivity to the end portion of Revolution Spring. It’s a summery ska punk track that encourages the listener not to put up walls and how things aren’t always as bad as you think. The track is full of advice that will hopefully inspire anyone listening who is becoming closed off and even depressed. I’m a big fan of bands using their platform to try and help people and make them feel better. The penultimate song is named Anarchist Wedding. This shorter song is another about fighting the government. It’s one of the catchiest tracks on the album and you’ll be singing along with fists high in the air in no time. I always think that the best political songs are the ones that are simplest to sing-along to as they will unify and rally people together. If a political song is really wordy and complicated, it won’t have anywhere near the same effect as a simple one. Revolution Spring finishes with what is perhaps my favourite song on the album and what is definitely the cheesiest. This is The Suicide Machines version of a barroom sing-along and ensures that the album is completed in positive fashion. Titled Cheers To Ya, it’s about looking at the mistakes you’ve made in the past and learning from them to become a better person. The really long outro has me aching to see them live whenever they manage to make it back to the UK. Singing along to that moment in particular will be quite the highlight.

The Suicide Machines really did a fantastic job on this album. Normally I’d steer well clear of reviewing a sixteen track album but I couldn’t not review Revolution Spring as it’s so good. I feel like if you’re new to The Suicide Machines then this is a great place to start with them, before going back on their fantastic back catalogue. If you were already familiar with them then Revolution Spring is a brilliant addition to their discography.

Stream and download Revolution Spring on Bandcamp here.

Like The Suicide Machines on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Show Me The Blueprints. by Days N Daze (by Emma Prew)

Days N Daze are a band that I ought to have listened to a hell of a lot more than I have. As arguably one of the most prolific bands of the ‘folk punk’ sub-genre for over a decade, I’m ashamed to say that I am not that familiar with most of their back catalogue. I know, and I call myself a folk punk fan! Sure, I’ve heard them on various playlists over the years and I did actually review their last album, Crustfall, in 2017 which I liked at the time but I’ve certainly not given them as much air time as they perhaps deserve.

This was until their eighth album and their debut with Fat Wreck Chords, Show Me The Blueprints., was released last month. I wouldn’t say the fact that the album is on Fat Wreck piqued my interest as such, but I guess it has made the band more likely to appear on my radar. I actually checked out the new album after hearing its opening track, Flurry Rush, on TNSRecords’ NEW PUNK FRIDAY Spotify playlist a few weeks ago – that playlist is well worth checking out. The album has been on constant rotation since then and has fast become one of my favourite albums of 2020.

The album opens with the aforementioned Flurry Rush. The song begins with a simple and relatively mid-tempo acoustic guitar part before the pace soon picks up with the introduction of banjo and trumpet which instantly feels quintessentially Days N Daze. When the vocals come in they are fast paced and, at least on first listen, it’s a little tricky to take in all of what vocalist Jesse Sendejas is singing. Of course, I didn’t listen just once and it’s well worth taking the time to take notice of the lyrics. Flurry Rush is about suffering from anxiety and in particular how you can often feel like you have no reason to be feeling a certain way because you ‘have it better than most’. I’m sure a lot of people will be able to relate to and find comfort in lyrics like ‘But shit I can’t complain, Compared to many folks I got it great, So, why's it always seem, That everything was better yesterday.’ The second song, Ditches, is a little slower in pace than the album’s opening track. This song sees fellow vocalist Whitney Flynn take over from Jesse on lead vocals as she sings a pretty contemplative and emotional song. At first it seems to be quite a sad song – ‘I’m so desperate for a home, But I can’t stop myself from running, I get wasted and I’ll hide away.’ – but there’s also a sense of hopefulness to be taken from the song. The lines ‘Just dry your tears, ’Cause there more to life, Proving that you’re worth a damn, When you’ve always been good enough.’ are powerful stuff indeed.

LibrYUM is up next and wastes no time in getting going. A fast-paced and catchy thrashgrass song if ever there was one, Days N Daze managed to pack so much into this one song that I’m not sure I can do it justice with my inadequate words. In short, Librium is about quitting drugs but it’s also about feeling like you need to replace one drug with another, finding being sober over stimulating and, you know, all-round feelings of existential dread. The chorus which is literally just ‘La la la la la la la la la la, Whoa-oh’ is insanely catchy while the vocals throughout the verses are franticly compelling, at times verging on screams. LibrYUM is a triumph of song and so is the next song – Saboteurs. Opening with a jangly combination of banjo and mandolin, alongside some harmonica, Saboteurs is, at first, strikingly different to the previous song. It’s slower, that’s for sure, but it also feels calmer. What’s similar about the two songs, however, is their brutally honest lyrical content. In Saboteurs, Jesse sings of struggles with mental health. There’s a great sense of storytelling that really draws you into the song as Jesse first talks of holidaying to a beautiful scenic location but not feeling able to leave the car, before recounting other similar life experiences. It can’t be easy to talk about such feelings, never mind put them down in a song, but I for one am grateful that Jesse has. ‘Everything was fine and dandy, But now everything is fucked, And there ain’t no rhyme or reason for my seething, I just wanna be okay but I feel stuck.’

If you like your folk punk catchy then look no further than the fifth song of Show Me The Blueprints., My Darling Dopamine. I mean this in both a musical sense – rhythmic mandolin strumming and melodious trumpet playing – and lyrics-wise. Jesse and Whitney manage to make a somewhat dark topic, poor mental health, feel like a fun time. I imagine that’s not quite the intention here but it does make for a memorable song. I particularly enjoy how Jesse and Whitney sing in harmony in the chorus, really drilling the words home – ‘Oh, my darling dopamine, Does the reward outweigh the risk? Well I'm on the fence, Is a numbing normalcy on tap, Worth a week trembling and sick? And every time I tell myself's the last, ’Cause goddamn the price is high, To rot in comfort this gruelling routine, I’ve succumb to has grown so fucking old, I just want out.’. Days N Daze slow things down once more for Rewind, the shortest song on the album. Opening with the question ‘Am I insane?’ immediately sets the tone as Whitney tries to express what’s going on in her head. Rewind is about trying to slow down and make amends to things that you’ve done in the past in an attempt to start anew – ‘And sometimes you gotta find, A little rewind, rewind in your mind, Even if it’s a lie.’

Opening with that distinct Days N Daze blend of string instruments and trumpet, Addvice will get your head nodding in no time at all. It almost feels like the vocals are sung at a faster pace than the instruments are played at which keeps you paying attention throughout. The songs sees Jesse and Whitney taking it in turns to sing verses and coming together for the chorus. This gives a sense that they share similar feelings when it comes to dealing with the mental illness that is prevalent throughout Show Me The Blueprints. and not least on this track. Addvice is about self medicating, whether that be with drugs or alcohol, to help numb the pain that comes with suffering from depression. Jesse and Whitney admit that this is a problem and they try to tell themselves that they’ll try to be better but, of course, that is easier said than done. None Exempt begins with a mournful trumpet part and some almost mariachi or polka style strumming. It instantly sounds unlike anything we’ve heard on the album so far, which perhaps makes sense given that this song tackles slightly a different subject matter. Here Days N Daze take on more of a political stance with their lyrics, which could be deemed more typical of the folk punk genre than the mental health topic they’ve covered thus far. That’s not to say that this sounds especially like anything else – Days N Daze certainly seem to have a knack for sounding unique. None Exempt takes aim at the wealthy and privileged few who are in control. Understandably, Jesse and Whitney get quite angry throughout the song, particularly when they sing/scream ‘We've got rapists and thieves, In control of our country, When you know all the things, That they've done and they've said, How the fuck are you not chanting, Off with their heads.’.

As we draw towards the end of Show Me The Blueprints., we get to possibly the saddest song on the album. Fast Track is a slower song with some wonderful soft melodies throughout its duration that accompany, but do not detract from, Whitney’s heart-wrenching tale. I hope I’m not interpreting the song incorrectly but Fast Track seems to be about a lost loved one and the hurt and confusion that that can leave you with. I cannot relate and so feel unqualified to comment further but a highlight of the song for me was the line ‘The music inside your head, Played softer when I was there.’ in the second verse and then, towards the end of the song, ‘The music inside my head, Plays louder without you here.’ Beautiful. The album’s title track, Show Me The Blueprints., is the penultimate song. Despite beginning quietly, you can tell that the song is about to burst to life. The first verse is a hoarse snarl from Jesse which feels as frantic as the lyrics suggest. When Whitney sings the second verse, after a short musical interlude, its pleasantly contrasting but no less energetic and is a pattern that continues throughout the duration of the track. The song is about what goes on in the mind of someone suffering from anxiety and depression and so the erratic nature of the song feels like the perfect representation of this.

What better way to finish an album that’s been as excellent as this one than with an optimistic farewell. Goodbye Lulu Pt.2, a nod to Goodbye Lulu from 2013’s Rogue Taxidermy, feels very much an album closer. First with the lines ‘Well it's been fun for a spell, And I wish y'all well, I’d hate to overstay my welcome, So, it's time I go, And even though now I must split, Please never forget, You were the ones that made this planet, Feel like home.’ before progressing to a chorus that is as wholesomely feel-good as it is infectiously catchy. Maybe it’s the mention of ‘We'll get hammered, To the gimme gimmes auld lang syne.’ but it just feels like the kind of song you’d be singing merrily in a bar, with your arm around the person next to you – whether they’re a new friend or old. It just makes you feel like everything is going to be okay – and, right now especially, I think we all need that… But wait, it doesn’t end there. I’ll try not to give too much away if you haven’t listened to Show Me The Blueprints. yet but there’s a bonus ‘hidden track’ at the end of Goodbye Lulu Pt.2 that is well worth a listen.

Perhaps some long-time Days N Daze fans would suggest that Show Me The Blueprints. is not as raw sounding as some of their previous material. Whether that’s due to their new Fat Wreck association or not I don’t know, but what I do know is that they have produced an album with enough heart and soul to rival anything they’ve put out in the past.

Days N Daze were due to be in Europe at the end of May, including playing the Punk In Drublic stage at Slam Dunk Festival, but for obvious reasons all dates have been postponed. Alas, I cannot recommend that you go and see them live anytime soon but I can recommend that you do them, and yourself, a favour and give Show Me The Blueprints. a listen. I certainly can’t get enough myself.

Stream and download Show Me The Blueprints. on Bandcamp and like Days N Daze on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Death In Venice Beach by The Bombpops (by Chris Bishton)

For a band to be releasing just their second album in their 13 year history, you might think their hearts weren't really in. Not so with The Bombpops. Death in Venice Beach follows up 2017's Fear Of Missing Out debut and what seems to have been a pretty constant few years of touring throughout America and Europe.

It also follows the well documented drummer and bassist revolving door years, all of which means the band are now a firm fixture in the Fat Wreck stable, regulars on the Punk In Drublic stage and even performing cameo appearances in NOFX videos. So, in fact, it turns out the band are incredibly hardworking and with Death in Venice Beach they've put out a great record. A just reward for hard work paying off.

The Bombpops are unashamedly pop punk. And I find that a great thing, especially in these dark times. No pretence, just great perky, devil-may-care, fast, sing-a-long pop punk. But, that's not to say that they're in any way shallow. There's no cringey, unrelatable, teen-angst material here. The first track is Dearly Departed and straight away name checks a host of A listers now no longer with us – from Jesus to Sid Vicious – whilst pondering whether these people offer any life lessons to us today. It's not normal pop punk fodder, but it's still a great pop punk song.

Next is Double Arrows Down. One of the singles from the album that was released before it came out. I already loved this before I heard the whole LP and hearing it again, in the context of the rest of the album, I still do. There are many bands that raise awareness of issues that are important to them, and this song is one of those for The Bombpops. Poli van Dam, guitarist and co-lead singer, has Type 1 diabetes. She often refers to the disease in interviews, on social media and now this song specifically records an incident when she had a seizure on tour a couple of years ago. Again, it's a pretty dark subject for a pop punk track, but I love how Poli and the band have produced a brilliantly energetic and catchy track like this, but have also helped people's understanding of a disease many still don't know much about.

There's brilliant harmonies teamed with great guitar riffs and hooks throughout this record. Zero Remorse shows this off perfectly. Poli and Jen Razavi, the band's other guitarist and co-lead singer, share singing duties and accompany each other really well on this.

Perhaps the only song that's a letdown to me comes next. It's odd because it's the other track that was released as a single before the album, Notre Dame. Lyrically, it's on a more familiar pop punk footing – a broken relationship, getting over that, moving on etc. – and it is fast, melodic, catchy, but this doesn't really do it for me. Maybe those sort of lyrics just aren't for me?

Sad To Me is a bit slower, but seems to flow from the previous track. It’s all about someone (the person in the previous song?) being a dick! Harmonies, tuneful guitar and a sing-a-long chorus. I like this a lot more and the album is back on track.

The other standouts for me are Can't Come Clean and 13 Stories Down. Both referencing drinking, but not in a puffy, fun, glamorous manner; rather in a more introspective, cautionary and regretful way. The first starts with a clip of the band arguing, swearing, threatening to quit and probably recorded when alcohol had been flowing. The song then kicks in and a signature pop punk flows. It's about drunken fights and crappy posts on social media – something I'm sure many will relate to – but it also turns out that it's semi-autobiographical tale as Poli has since revealed she's been in rehab and has embraced sobriety.

The record concludes with Southbound Stranger. A rollicking and memorable way to finish off a record. It's also easy to imagine the band smashing this out live. I haven't seen them for a few years, but it's a great reminder for me to catch them at the next opportunity.

Death In Venice Beach is a cracking pop punk album. It's a So-Cal, Fat Wreck release so some will have an opinion formed on that alone – pop-punkers and skaters should love it. But as well as having that feel good, pop punk vibe, there is a more abrasive side as well. The fun, rip-roaring, guitar and melody works really well with the juxtaposition of edgy, meaningful and thought-provoking lyrical content. I'd give it a listen, and not to just brighten up your day but to ponder on a few things as well.

Stream and download Death In Venice Beach on Bandcamp here.

Like The Bombpops on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Pears by Pears (by Chris Bishton)

So, I can't launch straight into this review without a bit of context. It's a Sunday afternoon, I'm sat in my garden drinking a beer and eating, sunburnt on the first really sunny day of the year, listening to the new Pears album. On the face of it, life is pretty sweet.

Yet, we all know it's not. It's pretty awful and absolutely surreal. Lockdowns, self-isolation, social distancing. Tours have been canceled. Venues have closed. Thousands have lost their jobs. And, of course, people are dying. It's indescribable but, if you took all that crap away, I'd be pretty happy right now.

Anyway… onto Pears. I'll be honest, it's been a while since I listened to any new hardcore. Age has mellowed me. That's why I was surprised when I found myself scrambling to order a colour vinyl variant of the new Pears record when that stupidly small window of opportunity opened online a few months ago. They're now pretty established on Fat Wreck and if you want those colour vinyls from that label you usually have to react fast.

Surprised, because when Go To Prison and then Green Star came out a few years ago neither grabbed me. Obviously, not because they weren't any good – they are both great records – but like I say, my taste has mellowed and I tend to go for a more melodic listen these days.

But then frontman Zach Quinn released his acoustic album, which I have so much time for, and the band did the split with Direct Hit! which I loved. Still with that hardcore flavour but with a song like Arduous Angel they suddenly seemed to have become a bit more melodic. And then, what sealed it for me, was early this year they released Comfortably Dumb as the precursor to the new album. Again, it's what I still think of as hardcore but with a really harmonic and tuneful chorus – their sound has changed – and sometimes it continues to change not just from track to track on the album, but even within the same song. I really like it.

The album starts with Killing Me – feedback and heavy guitar, but it's not overly frantic and it's very easy to make out the vocals. Then halfway through it slows and takes a different direction before returning to the tuneful vocals. It's a really great opening track.

Zero Wheels is more in the, what I would consider, traditional Pears style. Hard and fast and only about a minute and a half long. The old Pears are still very much on this record.

These two tracks layout out the feel for the rest of the record – different in style and often switching direction within the song itself. Comfortably Dumb, the song that ultimately persuaded me to buy this record, does just this. Hardcore, melodic, hooky and singalong all found in the same track.

Dial Up, Rich To Rags and Nervous all follow that trait – twists and turns but with that hardcore sound at the core of the songs.

The track that next really stands out to me is Naptime, which starts as if it's going to be a full blown, pop-punk song. It is really hooky, with singalong vocals. But then it turns, becoming a hardcore, albeit catchy track, that builds before fading into few seconds of acoustic guitar to finish.

The penultimate song Traveling Time is perhaps the one track that is unlike any other Pears song that I'm aware of. It's a poppy ballad for starters, full of fuzzy guitars and easily distinguishable vocals. I love it.

To finish though, the band return to that familiar hardcore sound with the tuneful vocals on Cynical Serene. Again, it jumps about a bit, in that halfway through the vocal becomes very serene itself, and then the track stops abruptly about 30 seconds from the end as a few chords on a guitar is strummed in order to finish the album in a truly beautiful way.

A couple of years ago, I never thought I'd enjoy a Pears record as much as I've enjoyed this one. I think the band themselves would probably concede their sound has changed a little, but it's still gutsy and raw, and I'd still say hardcore fans will like it. With 14 songs crammed into just over 30 minutes, you can't escape this is still blistering Pears.

The band had planned to tour extensively on the back of this record. I hope that still happens, as I'll now be making sure I catch them at a rescheduled show.

And by the way, I'm sure you're not wondering, but I did manage to score the colour vinyl but had to import it from Australia!

Stream and download Pears on Bandcamp here.

Like Pears on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Making A Case For NOFX (by Lee Morton and Brett Coomer)

Here's part three of our new series – Making A Case For. In this series, two of the CPRW team take a classic punk rock band and put forward their argument as to why their choice of album is the band’s best. Today, Lee and Brett nominate the best NOFX album.

Making A Case For Punk In Drublic (Lee Morton)

Cast your mind back to 1994, the grunge era is on its last legs and nu-metal is just taking off. Both Green Day and The Offspring have broken punk into the mainstream conscious with the release of “Dookie” and “Smash” respectively and DIY punks NOFX released their fifth, and still their most successful album to date, “Punk In Drublic”.

Against the introverted grunge scene and toxic masculinity of nu-metal, the juvenile humour mixed with short, sharp hook laden tracks that make up “Punk In Drublic” was a much needed adrenaline shot in the arm of the DIY punk scene. Streamlining the more hardcore punk of their earlier releases, this album, more than any others since, truly captures the spirit of NOFX and laid the template for all their future albums.

With sales in excess of 1 million copies worldwide, despite limited radio play or music TV coverage, it is one of the most successful independent album releases of all-time and effectively saved Epitaph Records as well as ensuring the growth of Fat Wreak Chords, with both labels becoming synonymous with mid-90s punk.

If the numbers aren’t enough to justify this as their greatest release, then what about the songs? One look at the track-listing and it reads like a greatest hits set, which in effect is what it is. Fan favourites such as “Linoleum”, “Leave It Alone” and “The Brews” are live constants and almost perfect punk songs, but dig deeper and there’s plenty of meat to get your teeth into with racism in their sights on “Don’t Call Me White” and “The Brews” whilst politics get shot down too with “Perfect Government”.

In fact, “Perfect Government” paved the way for NOFX to become more political with future releases, such as “The Decline” which Brett will wax lyrically about but the fact is, would they have even made that record without the foundations laid down in “Punk In Drublic”?

The influence that this record has made on other bands is without question, having inspired many good, and not so good bands, to pick up instruments but by also incorporating ska and reggae into their sound they helped keep the flames of these genres burning during some lean years.

Now, if none of this helps convince you that this was their finest hour then I shall leave the last word to guitarist El Hefe, who told the Associated Press in 2014 that “to me, that was our best album” so if he thinks that then it must be true.

Making A Case For The Decline (Brett Coomer)

In 1999, NOFX was one of the biggest punk bands on the planet that wasn’t being played on mainstream radio or TV and had been together for over 15 years. So one would expect the band to release an album with more of the same short, fast, snotty punk songs that built their establishment. Instead, according to the band they had “done enough short songs, time for a long one” and at 18-and-a-bit minutes ‘The Decline’ is definitely the longest song in the band’s catalogue and one of the longest punk songs ever recorded.

‘The Decline’ is only one song, but it has more dynamics and musical nuance than a lot of albums made up of 9 or more 2-plus minute songs. The song starts off as any normal NOFX song would, with some bass chords ringing out over a fast hi-hat beat, and very quickly makes you think of a typical punk rock song. But, with the help of some seamless key and time signature changes throughout its 18 minutes, ‘The Decline’ takes the listener on a journey through what can only be described as movements, each with its own distinct feel, while still contributing to and staying consistent with the theme. It never shies too far away from the NOFX sound though, featuring all of the characteristics you’d expect on any NOFX album: blazingly fast drum beats, frantic but fluent bass lines, awesome yelling backing vocals from Eric Melvin, and a number of guitar solos from El Hefe. Much like the music, the lyrics tell a few different stories and offer a range of attacks, both metaphorical and blatant, on the state of the American government, policies and the general decline of society. All themes that are mostly still valid today.

Choosing a single favourite album from a band like NOFX with such a large catalogue of music is always going to be a challenge. I’m almost positive that if you surveyed everyone at a NOFX concert you’d get a bunch of votes for each of their albums (maybe with the exception of Liberal Animation) with perhaps two or three outliers like Punk In Drublic, Wolves in Wolves Clothing, and So Long And Thanks for All The Shoes, which are all really great albums and worthy of the praise but they all still have one flaw in common: filler.

The question may be asked: Is it a song? Is it a punk rock opera? Is it an EP? Is it an album? Who cares. Whichever label you’d like to place on ‘The Decline’ by NOFX, it takes nothing away from the fact that it is an impressive piece of music released by one of the most prolific, divisive, and infamous bands of modern punk rock and remains an achievement of epic proportions even 21 years after it was first released.

P.S. The vinyl is more than just one song, as the B-side features a demo version of a more traditional length and sounding NOFX song, perhaps to remind everyone that the band hadn’t completely lost touch with their short fast punk roots.

This feature was written by Lee Morton and Brett Coomer.

Gig Review: Bad Cop / Bad Cop at New Cross Inn, London 28/02/20

Be Sharp Promotions and the New Cross Inn don't just do line-ups – they do stacked line-ups. This was certainly the case on Friday the 28th of February when Bad Cop / Bad Cop were in South London for the first night of a month long European tour. Supporting the band were tour mates MakeWar, UK punk legends Wonk Unit and the always awesome Billy Liar. It was sure to be some night.

First up was Billy Liar. Earlier in the day, Billy surprised us by announcing online that he would be playing electric and would be joined on stage by drummer Robin Guy (who drummed on Billy's debut album, Some Legacy). We arrived at the venue with about ten minutes to spare before Billy got started and were surprised by how busy it was so early on. This is always nice to see. Seeing Billy play electric is a rare treat and is always a great time. The electric guitar and Guy's incredible drumming add so much energy to the performance and give Billy's songs a whole new dimension. It was great to see people singing along to songs such as Change, The Righteous & The Rats, Cold Turkey before finishing his set with Noose and Pills. As I said, it's rare to see Billy play electric but if you have the opportunity to do so then makes sure not to miss it.

MakeWar were the next band to take to the stage. It's been over three years since MakeWar have played a show in London and since then they've signed to Fat Wreck Chords and released the excellent Get It Together. Having been to their previous London show – which was unfortunately possibly the poorest attended show I've ever been to – it was fantastic to see the three piece play to a full room. This was something they clearly relished. Playing a selection of songs from Get It Together and previous album Developing A Theory Of Integrity (sadly nothing from self-titled), it looked as if Jose, Edwin and Matt were having the best time despite having had no sleep since leaving New York the night before. I'm not sure how familiar a lot of the crowd were with MakeWar before the set but they must have earned a lot of new fans thanks to a blistering performance. Jose sings with such raw emotion, it's impossible not go get swept away with it. Songs such as Ode, Tiger Lili, Matador Pool Party, No Mas and Oh, Brother were played and the set flew by all too quickly. The band will be back in the UK in August so hopefully I'll be able to see them again soon.

The penultimate band of the evening were Wonk Unit. Having popped outside for a little fresh air and catching up with some pals, when we went back into the venue it was absolutely rammed for Wonk Unit. Because of this, it was pretty difficult to get any kind of half decent view of the band. Wonk Unit are a band that are absolutely loved in the UK punk rock scene and, from what I could see, the crowd were going wild for them. Alex Wonk is one of the most charismatic front men in the world of punk rock and always does a fantastic job of entertaining the crowd. Because we couldn't really see I decided to make use of Stock's Bar downstairs to get refreshed before Bad Cop / Bad Cop took to the stage, returning in time to see my favourite Wonk Unit song, Go Easy. Before the song started, Alex parted the crowd for a wall of death but encouraged the crowd to be nice to each other and that he didn't want to see any of that "masculinity bullshit." One final rager seemed like the perfect way to finish the set.

Next up it was time for Bad Cop / Bad Cop. Having previously only seen them play at o2 academies I was excited to see them play at a smaller venue. As we all know, seeing a band at a more intimate venue is always better. Early in the set, Stacey Dee remarked about how excited the band were to be back in London and how they loved the city. I always love seeing a band who seem excited to be playing a set and the great vibes on the stage quickly spilled into the crowd. The whole room was out for a good time. Playing songs from previous albums Not Sorry and Warriors, I was seriously impressed with how brilliantly all three vocalists swap singing duties during the songs and the harmonies are perhaps the best in punk rock currently. Something else I really loved about Bad Cop / Bad Cop is how empowering they and their songs are. Even as a man watching the band I felt empowered by them talking about subjects such a equal rights, surviving domestic violence and immigration. During the set, they took time to play three brand new songs from their upcoming new album. One of the songs is about Stacey defeating breast cancer, this felt like one of the most emotional moments of the night. Speaking so openly on these topics is something that makes Bad Cop / Bad Cop such an important band. There was a super sweet moment where they got a young fan on stage who was celebrating their 13th birthday, singing happy birthday to them and getting the crowd to surf them around the room. This was such a fun set that blew away any expectations I previously had. On this current tour, they only played the New Cross Inn and The Fighting Cocks in Kingston but here's hoping they're back for a full UK tour when the album drops in the summer.

Yet another fantastic night at the New Cross Inn with four brilliant bands showing some different sides of punk rock. If you're reading this and you're in Europe, I seriously suggest getting along to this tour.

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

Making A Case For: Against Me! (by Colin Clark and Emma Prew)

Here's part two of our new series – Making A Case For. In this series, two of the CPRW team take a classic punk rock band and put forward their argument as to why their choice of album is the band’s best. Today, Colin and Emma nominate the best Against Me! album.

Making A Case For Reinventing Axl Rose (Colin Clark)

I think that Against Me! are one of the hardest bands to pick a best album by and then convince somebody else why. I think there's a very good chance that the person you're talking to has a strong opinion on a different album. It's also difficult, as Against Me! fans, perhaps more so than fans of any other band, could easily be divided into different eras such is the journey that the band have been on in the past twenty plus years. Starting out as a acoustic folk act playing in cafés, signing to No Idea Records and then Fat Wreck Chords and becoming a full band act, signing to a major label and getting some mainstream exposure and then the current Against Me!. I personally fall into the No Idea/Fat Wreck era of Against Me! fandom and that's my favourite era of the Gainesville band.

This neatly brings me round to my favourite AM! album, Reinventing Axl Rose. Released in 2002 by No Idea Records, this was their debut full length and it takes five acoustic songs from the band’s first EPs and gives them the full band treatment and also includes six brand new songs. I know that, at the time, the band’s early hardcore following gave them some grief about firstly signing to a label and then secondly for becoming a full electric band. I guess there was a feeling that they might lose the raw magic that the band’s early recordings and live shows encapsulated. When the album was released, of course the production values were higher than on those early releases but the band managed to retain that raw style. The rawness of this record is a big reason of why I think it's the best. If you were to argue that the songs on Axl Rose aren't as strong as they are on Cowboy or Transgender I might agree with you but they don't feature the incredible energy that comes from this album. It's always difficult to capture the feeling you get from a live performance on record but, with the help of producer Rob McGregor, Against Me! managed it.

For me, the overall theme of Axl Rose is about raging against the man and the overall sound of the album makes you want to do it together. Each song has this sing-along quality and is littered with quality lyrics that inspire and make you want to throw your fists in the air. The choruses in particular have some awe inspiring gang vocals that bring people together in a big sing-along. A big part of punk rock throughout history is its ability to bring people who feel oppressed together and these songs have been doing that for almost twenty years. These are still the songs that I get most excited for when is see AM! live. These are the songs that I scream my throat hoarse to every single time. They give me this fantastic feeling that's hard to explain but it's pretty bloody special. That's why Reinventing Axl Rose is the best Against Me! album.

Making A Case For As The Eternal Cowboy (Emma Prew)

It is often the case with a band that the first album you hear by them – the one that hooks you in and makes you a fan – remains your favourite of their albums. It’s not always like that with me but that’s how I feel about Against Me!. However, let me start by saying that I don’t dislike anything that Against Me! have put out over their illustrious 23 year career as a band. I have favourite songs on all of their albums in their back catalogue. But it is their second album, As The Eternal Cowboy, that has stuck with me and remains my favourite to this day. I suppose this feature, Making A Case For, is supposed to be more about the album being ‘the best’ and not just my personal favourite but that’s okay because Cowboy covers both bases.

For me, As The Eternal Cowboy is the perfect bridge between the pure rawness of their debut album, Reinventing Axl Rose, and the slightly more polished sound of Searching For A Former Clarity, the band’s third album. (The latter being probably my second favourite Against Me! album but it still doesn’t come close to Cowboy.) Against Me! also retain a distinct element of their ‘folk punk’ sound on Cowboy which is what attracted me to the band in the first place – finding punk rock through the more country and/or folk-sounding punk bands first of all.

Folk punk aside, As The Eternal Cowboy is a blisteringly fast-paced punk rock album with 11 tracks, including an excellent instrumental interlude (A Brief Yet Triumphant Intermission), in just 25 minutes. It’s their shortest album but that’s okay because you can just stick it on repeat. From the memorable opening lines ‘The party’s over…’ of the first track on the album, T.S.R. (This Shit Rules), to the stripped back and yet oh so catchy break-up song, Cavalier Eternal, that closes the album. Of course, Cowboy also features plenty of fan favourites that the band still regularly play live such as Cliché Guevara, Mutiny On The Electronic Bay and Rice And Bread. Plus, who could forget Sink, Florida, Sink?! If you’ve seen Against Me! live (and if you haven’t, why the hell not?) then you’ll know that the whoa-oh-ohs are pretty much the loudest part of crowd participation at one of their gigs. Fans can often be heard singing it as they leave the venue.

As The Eternal Cowboy has been described by Laura Jane Grace as being a concept album of sorts, ‘that explores love and war’ with the eternal cowboy character being prevalent throughout the album – someone ‘forever wandering, lost and alone’. Whether you take that away from listening to the album is irrelevant however because, either way, this is an incredible album by an incredible band.

Whilst contemplating and writing this piece, I decided that Against Me! are basically the best punk band of all time and I stand by that statement – As The Eternal Cowboy proves it.

This feature was written by Colin Clark and Emma Prew.