Future Classic: In Desolation by Off With Their Heads

Recently, whilst sat in a burrito place before a gig, I was scrolling endlessly through my phone looking at things but not really taking anything in until something caught my eye. Somebody in a punk rock vinyl group was selling a bunch of Off With Their Heads records including In Desolation. I've been trying to get hold of that album for ages so I quickly messaged the guy and got a real bargain. As soon as it arrived it went straight onto the turntable and I quickly remembered just how great this album it is. I decided to put it forward as a "future classic." Let me tell you why.

First a little bit of history. Off With Their Heads are an American punk rock band that originated in Minnesota in 2002. Playing a particularly harsh and gruff form of punk rock, Off With Their Heads are lead by one of the greatest lyricists of his generation – Ryan Young. Over the years the band have had a rotating cast of members due to the band’s busy schedule and the members’ own commitments. Young has stated in the past that this has kept the band feeling fresh over the years. The band first found their way onto my radar after they released a music video for the track Fuck This, I'm Out from their 2008 album From The Bottom that was originally released on No Idea Records. I later found out that they had released a handful of EPs and singles through the Gainesville based label and this soon caught the attention of the mighty Epitaph Records. In early 2010 Off With Their Heads signed with Epitaph and that summer they released In Desolation.

For me, In Desolation is the album that really put Off With Their Heads on the punk rock map globally. What really helped was how much cleaner the production felt. On their earlier releases there was a rawness that I loved but perhaps made it a little less accessible for all fans of the punk rock genre. In Desolation managed to sound much clearer, so you can easily work out and relate to what Young is singing about, without taking away from the sound that drew people into Off With Their Heads in the first place. Young's gruff and often harsh vocals are not harmed in the production of In Desolation and arguably sound better than ever. I think it's fair to say that Young isn't the greatest singer in the world but this really is part of the charm of Off With Their Heads. It makes them into an everyman type band that you could be the lead singer for and it makes for a great live show with a whole room shouting along to every single lyric.

I've already mentioned that I think that Young is probably the greatest lyricist of his generation. He has the great ability of being able to write this incredibly relatable lyrics. They almost exclusively tackle dark and depressing topics but somehow manage to make you feel better when you're singing along with them. Make no mistake, In Desolation is an album you have to sing along to at the top of your voice with your fist planted firmly in the sky. It has that fantastic cathartic feeling that the very best music has. In Desolation is a healing album. On the album, topics tackled include trying to escape from your depression, being abused or bullied in the past and getting revenge, anxiety attacks, grieving, bad family relationships and admitting that you're not okay. Something for everyone. Clear The Air is one of the stand out tracks on the album and, for me, it's perhaps the best song lyrically I've ever heard. There are so many lines that hit home so much. It breaks your heart and really does make you feel better. If you don't know the song then I really implore you to go and read the lyrics here. Alongside Clear The Air, more standout songs are Drive, Their Own Medicine, Spare Time, All I Can Do and the piano led My Episodes but in truth every song is a banger. Off With Their Heads are without a doubt up there with the best bands of their generation and I would predict few have touched their fans in a way that Off With Their Heads did on In Desolation and continued to do on their next album, 2013's Home – also a banger!

Like Off With Their Heads here:  https://www.facebook.com/owth42069/

This future classic was written by Colin Clark.

Future Classics: Don't Fuck With Our Dreams by The Smith Street Band

A few months ago when the topic of future classics was first brought up one band we immediately thought of was Australia's Smith Street Band. The band continue to become more and more popular with each and every release so there's plenty of arguments to be had about which of their releases could be classed as a future classic. Since all were released after 2010 (and 2010 to the present day are the parameters for when a release can be classed as a future classic, at least by CPRW) they all are in the running. I love them all but I'm nominating 2013's Don't Fuck With Our Dreams EP. Here is why.

The first reason I want to give for why Don't Fuck With Our Dreams is a future classic is simply because it was the first Smith Street Band I ever heard. I was immediately drawn into these five songs. The Smith Street sound was unlike much I had heard before. Combining punk rock, indie and hints of folk with this really raw emotional songwriting and, of course, lead singer Wil Wagner's thick Australian accent to create such a special sound.

Wil's songwriting skills are something that I've written about a few times on CPRW. He writes these incredible songs with positive messages like following your dreams no matter what and trying to be something bigger and educating yourself. There is plenty of variety in the songs musically, the title track is a rambunctious punk rock party, Self Control is a more controlled number that threatens to explode many times but never does. Ducks Fly Together is a mix of the two, starting all punchy and controlled before the band unleash into a big sing-a-long. Bigger Than Us and Kids fall more into the more indie punk style but Wil's vocals really shine throughout all five tracks.

Like I said Don't Fuck With Our Dreams was the first Smithies release I ever heard and it's often made up a big portion of their live set on the eleven times that I've seen them and always get great reactions from any crowd. Don't Fuck With Our Dreams (the song) is the perfect live track. It's one that has you singing and dancing instantly and always puts a smile on my face. The song is split into two sections. There's the opening, upbeat, jangly pop punk section that makes up the bulk of the song and then there's incredible slower section which features a fantastic crowd interaction moment as the crowd chant the lyrics back at the band. There aren't many times where I still get goosebumps when I see a band live but I do every time The Smith Street Band play this song.

For me, Don't Fuck With Our Dreams was a big turning point in the band's career and it was the moment that more and more people sat up and took notice of The Smith Street Band. Since the release they've gone on to release the critically acclaimed albums Throw Me In The River and More Scared Of Your Than You Are Of Me. It's also made people go back over their back catalogue and check out their earlier releases such as No One Gets Lost Anymore and Sunshine & Technology. All of these records truly are incredible and I love each dearly but for me Don't Fuck With Our Dreams is the classic.

Stream and download Don't Fuck With Our Dreams here: https://thesmithstreetband.bandcamp.com/album/dont-fuck-with-our-dreams

Like The Smith Street Band here: https://www.facebook.com/thesmithstreetband/

This future classic was nominated by Colin Clark.

Future Classic: The Voice Of Treason by Faintest Idea

Future classic time again. This time we're looking at Faintest Idea's third album The Voice Of Treason. Over the past few years Faintest Idea have become one of the big hitters in the UK punk scene due to their incredible live show and back catalogue of great songs. If I were to try and single out a big landmark in the musical career of Faintest Idea it has to be the release of The Voice Of Treason, hence why it is my choice for a Future Classic.

I first became aware of Faintest Idea sometime between the release of their second album Ignorance Is This and The Voice Of Treason. I'm not sure how exactly I became aware of them but I instantly became hooked on their blend of street punk and ska and began to listen to Ignorance Is This and particularly the song 2 Years Conscription - the lyric "If You're Not Pissed Off Then You're Not Paying Attention" is superb. Then the band announced the release of The Voice Of Treason and accompanied that with videos for brand new tracks Youth and Bull In A China Shop. I was stoked. This was going to be the best thing ever. After seeing them for the first time supporting The Toasters at the Waterfront in Norwich, I picked up a CD and it became a permanent fixture in my listening habits.

The Voice Of Treason starts off with what has become Faintest Idea's trademark live show opening …Back To The Asylum. When playing live, the Faintest Idea horn section start the set in the crowd and blast the now classic brass melody. I challenge anyone to hear it and not be humming it for days afterwards. It's a perfect song to get a crowd warmed up and it's an even better way to start an album.

Many of the songs on The Voice Of Treason are still a big staple of the Faintest Idea live set and probably get the biggest reactions of any. The aforementioned Bull In A China Shop and Youth are potentially the most popular of all. Bull In A China Shop is just a great party song. With an instantly danceable tune and a chorus that you can pick up easier than learning how to play snap. Once you get through the first chorus you'll be singing along like you've heard it a thousand times. As fun as the song is it's actually about a serious topic. It's about feeling as if you're in the minority with trying to stand up and make a change. Youth is another hugely danceable song that, if you've got the energy for shouting along alongside some fast paced skanking, I predict you'll definitely lose your voice too.

The album also features other classics such as House Of Cards, Mutual Aid, 36 Barrels, These Words Are Our Weapons and Battling The Cage. These are more songs you'll be dancing and singing until you have no strength left in your body. They're also all songs that will make you think, teach you things and hopefully empower you. Like many punk bands Faintest Idea try to spread their own political message to the masses and as fun as the music is I've always found that their own particular messages are what sets them apart from many of their contemporaries in the scene. This is protest music. It's about getting an organised group together to learn and fight for the things that matter to them. And if you can have a great time whilst you're learning and whilst your fighting well that's just even better, isn't it?

If you're a fan of UK punk and ska then The Voice Of Treason should be an essential album in your collection.

Order the recently released vinyl version of Voice Of Treason from TNSRecords here: https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/?product=faintest-idea-voice-treason-vinyl

Like Faintest Idea here: https://www.facebook.com/Faintestidea/

This Future Classic was nominated by Colin Clark.

Future Classics: On The Impossible Past by The Menzingers (by Emma Prew)

When Colin first suggested the idea of writing about ‘future classic’ albums of punk rock there was one album that came to mind for me before anything else. Of course it was The Menzingers and their third album, released in 2012 on Epitaph Records, On The Impossible Past. I’m sure I’m not the only punk rock fan to deem this album a classic, it is arguably the band’s most loved, most played album.

It has taken me a little while to actually pluck up the courage to write about On The Impossible Past – the Future Classic idea came about back in July. Aside from The Gaslight Anthem’s The ’59 Sound, which I was told I wasn’t allowed to write about because it was too old (2008) to fit into the criteria, On The Impossible Past is my favourite album of all time. Again, aside from The ’59 Sound, it is my most played album – on vinyl, on CD in the car, on my computer (iTunes and Spotify), sometimes I just sing the songs to myself having not heard them at all – ‘I will fuck this up…’. I put it on whenever I don’t know what else to listen to and am always pleased with myself for making that decision. I absolutely love this album and I’m going to struggle to express exactly why I do. So, I’m going to revert to answering the questions Colin proposed in his Future Classics: Not Like This by Iron Chic post, at least to get me started.

The first question is ‘Does it grab me on the first listen?’. I was finishing up my third year of university when my CD copy of On The Impossible Past arrived in the post. I was already a big fan of their first two albums and expected that album number three would be more of the same. I was wrong. This was something else. It grabbed me because it wasn’t quite like A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology (at the time I thought OTIP couldn’t possibly beat their debut) and it wasn’t quite like Chamberlain Waits either. I don’t know why but I just connected with this one. The album became my soundtrack to finishing uni, to going back home, to getting a job, to moving out… I haven’t stopped listening to it on a regular basis for 5 years. And I’ve just answered the second question about coming back to the album time and time again as well.

Some of Colin’s other questions are ‘Do you take inspiration from the lyrics?’ and ‘Do you relate to them somehow?’. Well, I can’t relate to growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I can’t even relate to growing up in America. But that doesn’t mean that each and every song on On The Impossible Past doesn’t get me every time. There are definitely some lyrics that are sung louder and with more heart by a Menzingers live show crowd than others, such as the aforementioned ‘I will fuck this up, I fucking know it.’ from The Obituaries. The lines that open Good Things, and therefore the album in general, are another classic example – ‘I’ve been having a horrible time, Pulling myself together.’ Other notable and highly singalong-able lyrics from On The Impossible Past include: ‘Here’s to you, the same chords that I stole, From a song that I once heard’ (Burn After Writing), ‘So I'm marching up to your gates today, To throw my lonely soul away, ’Cause I don't need it, You can take it back’ (Gates), ‘Me and Casey, We used to get drunk before we did the dishes’ (Casey). There’s just something in lyrics about self-doubt, heartache and nostalgia that us punk kids can relate to.

I think that brings us nicely to ‘Does the album get the same reaction live as it does on record?’. And here’s where I get to throw in my ‘I saw On The Impossible Past played from start to finish at Fest 15 last year’ card. It was, well,words can’t describe how happy it made me but, before I go any further, I know you’re probably thinking ‘But they mostly play OTIP songs in their set lists anyway, what’s the big deal?’. While this is possibly a little bit true, they had never – and probably haven’t since – played Freedom Bridge, the album’s closing song, live before. So that was really quite special. It was also pretty amazing in general to hear each song flow into the next how it was designed to on the album but transferred into the live setting. The band know that On The Impossible Past is their most loved album and they probably also know that they will never be able to make another album that quite lives up to it – don’t get me wrong though, I love both Rented World and After The Party – and so those songs feature highly in any Menzingers live set, album show or otherwise. I’m excited just thinking about the times I’ve sung along at the top of my lungs to songs from On The Impossible Past live and I cannot wait to do so again.

It feels like I could start to wrap things up right about now, although I also feel like I could ramble on forever about how much I love this album without actually really saying why. So what I will say is there must be a reason why On The Impossible Past has a Metacritic score of 93 out of 100, why countless other Menzingers fans name it their favourite album by the band and why we sing along to these songs louder than all the rest. I love On The Impossible Past and I hope that I never stop coming back to it when I don’t know what else to listen to.

This Future Classic was written by Emma Prew.

Future Classic: Home, Like NoPlace Is There by The Hotelier (by Richard Mair)

The idea of an album being a future classic is a hard one to judge. Having been introduced to punk through The Offspring's “SMASH”, Green Day's “Dookie” and Rancid's “... and Out Come the Wolves” it's easy to look back on those albums 20+ years later and appreciate how they blew the scene open; and since then punk hasn't gone away; sure it's had different trends and vogue moments but generally speaking it's still as accessible albeit maybe not as popular as it was back in the mid 90's. Therefore for me to identify a potential future classic is hard as I'm looking back over 20 nostalgic years trying to find something that could have as large a cultural impact as those three iconic albums from my formative teenage years.

Recently I think punk has gone through somewhat of a renaissance akin to the 90s explosion where social commentary, political awareness and song writing craft have taken centre stage perhaps as a reaction to some of the showy screamo fads of the early millennium years; particularly in the DIY scene with labels such as Tiny Engines, Red Scare Industries and No Sleep allowing bands to create statements as opposed to a desire to shift units. One album that really benefits from this and should be held in high regard as a shining example of punk from the 20teen years is The Hotelier's "Home Like NoPlace is There".

Around its release I remember the album generating a significant buzz, not because of it being highly anticipated, indeed their debut album has probably found more of an audience in recent years than it did when first released. The buzz came organically based on the strength of the songs streamed prior to its release. Both "Your Deep Rest" and "Life in Drag" felt like emotional hand grenades. While both completely different in tone and feel, the qualities they displayed suggested that on its release the album could be something special. I'm generally sceptical that such songs streamed ahead of a release are likely to be the highlights of the album, so on the morning it was unleashed, I like many people downloaded the link with some form of excitement and anticipation I was unprepared for the emotional roller coaster I was about to embark on.

"An Introduction to the Album" kicks things off; it's subtle musical background giving way to Christian Holden's voice which generates much of the tune and melody, especially in the early stages whilst the song builds. To describe it as a beautiful song doesn't do it justice, but by the 3:30 minute mark its sucked you in with its crescendo of drum beats, and Christians now painful yelps; in fact everything you can expect to feel on the album is covered in this first song, giving its title a portentous feeling.

The album has a real anger to it and the feelings of guilt, loss and regret permeate the whole album. It also has a real element of isolation and has some difficult subject matter contained within it; "Among the Wildflowers" and "Housebroken" perhaps the two obvious tracks where the theme of abuse is very overt and at times painful to listen to, but this is why the album is such a classic, it never takes the easy option with the subject matter; it always wants the listener to feel that anger and have that emotional connection and I can't think of another album in recent history that has had that effect on me in such a way.

The album finishes with "Dendron", which is an odd closer given it always feels like a sibling to "An Introduction to the album", in fact I usually start with Dendron (maybe because I love it so much, but the flow into the first song with the closing refrain of Dendron is perfect), again highlighting the craft of the band to put the album together as one piece. As a standalone song it’s the real high point of the album; in fact so good it’s possibly the finest song to close an album since Weezer’s Blue Album epic of “Only in Dreams”; again capturing the feelings and emotions of everything that went before it and releasing it in a cathartic explosion of noise.

From start to finish the album is a masterclass, it's pure punk rock perfection; it's emotional, it's socially aware, it's angry and it's tons of fun to sing along to in small venues with arms around strangers and beers aloft; so what should make this stand out as a future classic compared to some of its contemporaries? When looking at those releases from the mid-90s it's important to note that they weren't debut releases or new bands; these were groups who had captured a feeling or a moment in time and helped launch it to a wider audience. All three were coming off the back of generally positive if unspectacular releases, but managed to capture a moment in time and tap into the psyche of the malaise and disaffection brewing in youth culture. For me these were the first albums that really spoke to me and therefore something that can have such an emotional connection will always hold the test of time.

I could discuss politics and social issues with anyone until I'm blue in the face. The last few years for many people have been a struggle. We now have the first generation who can realistically not expect the same standard of living as their parents, but who are probably the most educated they have ever been. We have a generation of young people saddled with debt, unable to have a place to call their own and higher rates of mental health conditions than any other group; it’s also very clear that through the internet and social media many more people are exposed to circumstances, situations and experiences that can have traumatic and lasting impacts. It's in this context that “Home Like NoPlace is There” exists, and it’s also there to offer us comfort and hope and comfort reminding us we aren’t alone; to reach out when we need to and to look after each other. Like those albums from my formative years this is a genuine cross-over success with enough to keep members of various sub-factions of the scene happy, and should be applauded for being a stunning piece of art and social commentary that defies categorisation. For those still to experience its pleasures, please give it a home!

Stream and download Home, Like NoPlace Is There here: https://thehotelier.bandcamp.com/album/home-like-noplace-is-there-2

Like The Hotelier here: https://www.facebook.com/thehotelier

This Future Classic was nominated by Richard Mair.

Future Classics: Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me!

Before I get started with this future classic column I must add a disclaimer. The album which I am nominating is not my favourite by the band it is by. A couple of years ago I did a top ten songs by the band and not a single song made it onto my list. I do however believe that in twenty or so years we will look back on this album and say "yeah, that album's a classic." I'm not sure why I'm being so cryptic about what the album is. You must have read the title of this column before clicking on it. For those who did somehow miss that, I'm talking about Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me!.

I imagine that if you're reading this you know all about Against Me!'s storied history but I perhaps somewhat naively like to believe that on occasion non-punk people read these posts and might not know the band's back story. Against Me! were originally formed in 1997 in Gainesville Florida by Tom Gabel. They gained a massive and passionate following due to their raw punk rock sound, incredible live performances and their strong DIY ethics. They released their first three albums independently, firstly with No Idea Records and then Fat Wreck Chords. These albums were very well received and increased their reputation in the music world a lot. So much so that the major record labels came knocking. For many of their hardcore fans the band did the unthinkable, left their DIY roots and signed a two album deal with Sire Records. These two albums did extremely well commercially for the band but they got a lot of heat from old school fans accusing the band of being sell outs.

Then in 2012 everything changed.

Tom Gabel came out as a transgender person having dealt with gender dysphoria since childhood. From that point on Gabel would be living life as a woman and her name would now be Laura Jane Grace. On the 21st of January (my birthday) 2014 the first album by a Laura Jane Grace fronted Against Me! was released and was named Transgender Dysphoria Blues.

That history went on a bit longer than I had planned. Here's the reason I think Transgender Dysphoria Blues is a future classic despite it not being my favourite Against Me! album. First of all it's a painfully truthful and personal album. Without a doubt this is the most honest album lyrically that Against Me! have ever released. Laura was finally being true to herself and this came across in her songwriting. The big theme of the album is, of course, gender dysphoria after the coming out of Grace.

The punk rock scene, being as incredible as it is, again took the band back into their hearts and accepted them like they did in the early days. The album, in a way, mended old relationships between the band and the original fans. Gone were the accusations of selling out. So now Against Me! had all their old fans back, new fans they'd gained thanks to the major label releases and now more and more queer and transgender people were jumping on board with the band too. Finally feeling like they had a voice and someone so incredibly brave to relate and look up to. You can now go to an Against Me! show and see people from all walks of life coming together harmoniously and people's differences in lifestyles not mattering. Because it doesn't!

Laura Jane Grace's coming out and then the release of Transgender Dysphoria Blues to me is a real turning point for the acceptance of transgender people in mainstream society. Bringing the issue of gender dysphoria to the masses gave a lot of people strength to also come out and let the world see the people they really are. I think that is a quite incredible thing for a person and an album to achieve.

This column was written by Colin Clark.

Future Classic: London by Apologies, I Have None

Today we are continuing our Future Classics series. This nomination is for what I believe is the best UK punk album of the last decade. It's an album that brought me back to UK punk rock after a few years of solely listening to American punk music. I'm trying to write a long winded introduction that leaves you in suspense about what album I'm talking about but now I'm thinking what is the point? You're reading this column so therefore you've probably read the massive title at the top of the screen. If not you can probably see the artwork below this paragraph. If you've done neither of these things then the album that I think is a Future Classic is London by Apologies, I Have None.

Apologies, I Have None formed as a guitar and drum two piece featuring Josh McKenzie and Dan Bond in the early 2000s. During the early stage of their career they released a handful of EPs and eventually grew into a full band with Josh and Dan both taking guitar and vocal duties, while they were joined by Joe Watson on drums and PJ Shepherd on bass. This was the band's line up when they released London in 2012.

London was self released on CD by the band and the brilliant London based record label Household Name handled the vinyl release. It was also later put out in Germany by Uncle M Music.

Now being a full band, the Apologies sound grew from an acoustic almost folk style punk rock to more of a melodic sing-a-long style and I think this style is why the album is so universally loved. It's accessible to anyone. It doesn't fall into the fast, shouty, super aggressive genre of punk rock but it's also not so poppy and cheery that it would put off the most diehard of punk rock fans. It's fantastically played punk rock that you can shout along with at the top of your voice. That seems to be the way that punk music has grown over the years. It's not just 1000mph three chord punk rock with snarling and snotty vocals. Punk rock has morphed into expert musicians playing these songs that can move people, teach them things and help them grow. London ticks all of those boxes.

Lyrically the ten songs on London tackle a whole range of subject matter but also fall under the universal topic of what it's like living in London. Subjects tackled include learning from your mistakes, growing as a person, getting through bad times, dealing with mental health and blaming others for your own wrong-doings.

London features two of my all time favourite lyrics. The first of which is in the second track, Sat In Vicky Park - "The Worst Mistake To Make Is To Be Afraid To Make Mistakes, And I Can't Believe This Took So Long To Learn, It Should Be So Obvious, Like A Man Cannot Be Measured By The Number Of People He's Fucked, Like Numbers On A Payslip Are No Indication Of Worth" and in the fourth song Concrete Feet - "You'll Always Make Mistakes, You'll Always Fuck Shit Up, You Will Sometimes Make Bad Choices And Blame That Shit On Bad Luck, You Will Often Face Decisions That You Do Not Want To Make, And You'll Find Yourselves On Paths That You Did Not Mean To Take, There Is Always An Answer, There Is Always A Lesson, A Lining Of Silver Around Every Situation, And Asking For Help Is Not The Same Thing As Failing." These are my two personal favourite lyrics but the album is jam packed with more great ones.

I always think an album should be judged on how great it sounds live as well as on record. London live probably eclipses London recorded. Being in a room with sweaty like minded individuals belting out these songs like our lives depend on it. Even five years later singing along to any of these songs, though they don't play half of this album anymore since Dan left the band, still has an extremely cathartic and gratifying experience. Since London's release, Apologies have released the EP Black Everything and the album Pharmacie, which are both incredible releases, but it's still the tracks from London that get the biggest reactions. They are timeless.

This is why I consider London by Apologies, I Have None to be a future classic. An album that when people talk about defining albums of this generation of punk rock will be mentioned a lot.

Stream and download London here: https://apologiesihavenone.bandcamp.com/album/london-2012

Like Apologies, I Have None here: https://www.facebook.com/apologiesihavenone/

This column was written by Colin Clark.

Future Classics: Not Like This by Iron Chic

When I first thought about some albums that I think in twenty years time will be a seen as a classic, my first thought was Not Like This by Iron Chic. Before I go into why I think Not Like This is good enough to be considered a future classic, it would probably make sense to talk about what criteria is needed to been seen as such.

First up is 'Does it grab me on the first listen?'. If after the first spin are my thoughts "oh my Gandalf, that is the best thing I've ever heard!" Also 'Is there some longevity?', is it something I return to again and again. We all have albums that we put on if we're not sure what we actually want to listen to but know that we want to listen to something. 'Does the album move you in any way?', 'Do you take inspiration from the lyrics?', 'Do you relate to them somehow?' If so, it's likely you're gonna come back to an album time and time again. 'Do you think that the album is the band's best work?' 'How does it compare to the band's previous releases?' 'Does the album get the same reaction live as it does on record?' If an album matches all of those things then it's definitely a classic for me.

Not Like This without a doubt falls into my criteria for a future classic. After being released in 2010 on Dead Broke Rekerds, Not Like This made Iron Chic a huge deal in the punk rock scene and also made them pretty much everyone's favourite band. On my first listen I was in love. There's a great simplicity to everything on this album that makes it instantly accessible. I adore lead vocalist Jason Lubrano's style of speak-singing, this makes it so easy for the album to become an ear worm because it's so easy to pick up every word that leaves his mouth.

I didn't get to see Iron Chic live until after the band's second full length, The Constant One, was released. That is also a fantastic album but whenever any song from Not Like This is played live it always gets the massive reactions. It doesn't even matter which of the ten songs on the album are played or what order they are played in, they are all crowd pleasers. I've seen a crowd in small basements and/or bigger festival stages just go crazy for these songs in ways that not many bands will ever be able to replicate.

Not Like This covers a few themes such as growing up, finding a release, making the best of things, being stuck in a job that you don't like and finding somewhere that you belong. These aren't exactly new topics in the punk scene but with the simple Iron Chic style I find myself relating to them even more so than normal. This is down to the everyman style that is the band's sound. As you sing along with these songs - live, in your car, your kitchen, your bathroom, your living room, your garden, under your stairs or anywhere else you might sing songs - you feel a part of Iron Chic. This is a really special feeling and why I think Not Like This is a future classic.

Future Classics: An Introduction

After a recent conversation it dawned on me that it's been over twenty years since punk rock exploded in the 1990s. I won't explain the explosion here because the chances are that if you're reading this you know the story. If you don't, you are on the Internet, Google the film One-Nine-Nine-Four and that will explain all that you need to know. So many albums from that period of music are now considered classics. That got me thinking about something. What albums from this era of punk rock will be considered classics in twenty years time. It's naïve of me to think that there will ever be a punk explosion like there was in the 90s again. That was a special and unique time that will probably never happen again. That's not me saying that the music isn't as good, that couldn't be further than the truth. It's just that we have so much more music available whenever we want to hear it due to the Internet, streaming services such as Spotify, Bandcamp and Soundcloud, and social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and all of the wonderful blogs that exist.

My thoughts lead me down a path of thinking a great feature for Colin's Punk Rock World would be a "future classics" section where I take a look at albums released since 2010 that I think will be deemed classics in twenty years time. I took to Facebook to firstly ask the CPRW team for suggestions of who they thought what they thought would be a classic in twenty years. I then took to my personal Facebook page and asked my friends what they thought. These questions lead to some very interesting answers. A few that I had thought of myself, many that I hadn't and some that I'd never even listened to. This got me thinking some more. I couldn't possibly claim that an album I've never heard before is a classic and many people might disagree with my own choices. So I've come up with the idea of making a long running series of posts where I, the CPRW team and a series of guest bloggers suggest their own choice for a future classic.

If you have a suggestion for an album released since 2010 that you think could be a classic in the future and wish to write about it please get in touch here: hello@colinspunkrockworld.co.uk

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on Future Classics of punk rock!