Album Review: feels by Trophy Jump

Trophy Jump are a band we’ve been keeping a keen eye on since discovering their album Depression Club in 2018. Since then, we’ve really enjoyed the band’s progression with each subsequent release. In February the band released their second album, feels, on JeboTon (Croatia), Horn & Hoof Records (UK), We’re Trying Records (US) and Nasty Cut Records (EU). I listened to it immediately but then life got in the way and that’s delayed my review/love letter to the band until now! Let’s get on with it.

Feels begins with It’s Not A Race!!! This track serves as an introduction for the album. Beginning with some phone feedback before we get some electronic music along with Antun Aleksa’s recognisable vocals. During the forty-eight seconds, Antun sings about taking your time with whatever you’re doing in life. This then leads into the first proper song on feels – Business Trip. Starting with some building guitars and a simple drum beat, Antun’s vocals soar during this opening section. The song is about quitting your job that you hate and going out and experiencing life. Something I’m sure that most of us wish we had the courage to do. Maybe this song will give you the encouragement to do so. When I first listened to the third song, Neon Light, there was a very familiar voice coming through my speakers. The track features the brilliant Phil of our friends Burnt Tapes on guest vocals. Starting out in a sombre fashion, the song has an element of Alkaline Trio to it in sound as well as the way they tell a story. It’s one of those times where you can get a sense of what the music video would look like just from the lyrics. The track is about the come down you often get after a good night out and that horrible feeling of depression that can come from that. Phil’s vocals add some real emotion to the song. I hope that when they play Bristol Booze together in May Phil joins the band on stage to provide vocals.

Leather Couch is a song that Trophy Jump originally released as a single back in 2019. I’m very glad that they decided to put it on the album as, at the time, I stated that I think it’s the best song they had written to date. I’ve listened to the song so much, whenever that opening guitar riff comes in I get excited. It’s a familiar feeling when I hear the opening of Gainesville Rock City by Less Than Jake. I get pumped. I’m a big fan of gang vocals and harmonies and Leather Couch is chock full of them. This works especially well as the song is about friendship, those beautiful times of doing nothing and having the best time in the process. This feels like a show closer. Next is I Don’t Wanna Live In A Fitness Ad. After a short audio clip featuring a phone call between two chaps talking about going for a run, the song kicks in. There’s a paunchiness to things that changes things up a bit. The song is a fun one about not wanting to exercise and enjoying the things that are bad for you. Probably not something I would recommend but, also, life is too short so sometimes you have to go nuts. The highlight for me is the chorus and the gang vocals which I imagine getting a great reaction. The sixth song is titled Brkn Values. Trophy Jump really bring the pace down here with an introduction that will get your head banging. This is Trophy Jump at perhaps their moodiest and I feel like they have perhaps taken inspiration from UK legends Apologies, I Have None with the atmospheric sound they have going on. Brkn Values takes digs at musicians who sell out, lose the passion for their music and keep recycling the same old stuff to cash in on their fans. I’m sure everyone reading this will have experienced frustration at how the mainstream ignores a band we love and feel like should be huge for a safe and risk-free choice who sold their souls many moons ago.

Interdimensional Cable 420 acts as a short interlude that leads into the eighth song FOMO. FOMO brings the mood back up with a fast and upbeat song about not knowing how to be by yourself and always wanting to be out doing things with friends. Fear Of Missing Out is a real thing that people can experience and I’m glad to see Trophy Jump write a song about it. Once again there are plenty of moments to sing-along with the band, this gives the track a cathartic feeling, especially to anyone who does suffer with FOMO. Hugs And Drugs was the first single released in the build up to the album’s release and it was the very best choice. I think this is the best Trophy Jump song to date. The chorus is absolutely huge here as the band belt out “well I guess that it kinda sucks, that the only love we ever had, was hugs on drugs.” The track is about using drugs, or I guess alcohol, as a way to get over your shyness and how friendships can feel empty because of this. This is not something I can really relate to as I’ve always been sober but I’m sure I know plenty of people who will. I look forward to the day I can be surrounded by friends, arms locked and shouting this back at the band. It seems like that will be special. The penultimate track is Beer Pressure. Once again, this is a hard one for me to relate to as I don’t drink but it’s about the pressure to continue consuming alcohol to keep up with your friends even if you’re not sure that you want to. I really enjoyed the switches in melody and how the band effortlessly switches between pop and skate punk throughout the track. Finally we have Sharing Is Scary. This is an epic acoustic track to close things off. I enjoyed the stripped back approach to the song, it makes it feel more intimate and there is an element of campfire punk rock about it, particularly in the final moments. The track is about exactly what the title suggests, sharing your feelings with anyone and the fear that that brings. Something every human struggles with at some point but it’s important and healthy to talk about your feelings and I’d encourage everyone to take the brave steps to do it.

Trophy Jump always take things to another level with every release and they’ve continued to do that on feels. If you’re a fan of melodic pop punk with raspy and gruff vocals and great lyricism then definitely do not sleep on Trophy Jump! They will be in the UK in the middle of June. Get out to a show and support them.

Stream and download feels on Bandcamp. Like Trophy Jump on Facebook.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stream and download On The Brink on Bandcamp.

Like Mark Murphy And The Meds on Facebook.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: 3 Chords 2 Teeth by Werecats, The Atoms, Skimmer and The Crash Mats (by Dan#2)

I love a good split. They're great for discovering new bands and Horn & Hoof Records' new split "3 Chords 2 Teeth" is a great sample of what four of their bands have to offer.

The first band on the spilt is Werecats, an old-school style pop punk band fronted by Cici Wongster and Pip Arr whom I have had the pleasure of seeing multiple times. Their offerings to the split are "You Will Love Me" and "Ode To Pizza Tramp". The first is a creepy song about some ugly stalker trying to make you fall in love with them. The word choices make me picture a pretty unpleasant experience, while melody-wise it's a simple punk song with a really catchy chorus and backing vocals that make you want to sing along with the whoas! "Ode To Pizza Tramp" is a touching but lightning fast tribute to the great hardcore band... you guessed it, Pizza Tramp. I won't spoil it but it really made me laugh. This short blaster of a song made me really want to see more fast songs from Werecats!

The Atoms are the next band and are completely new to me. "I Hope She Dies" slams straight in with its chorus hook. Like it says on the tin, it's about hoping someone they hate dies – a classic punk rock song topic! I really like the "ooo"s in the bridge, they sound kinda like the Beach Boys and it really puts a smile on my face. "Steve Is A Smackrat" kicks in with a cool breeze of a high bassline, providing a nice contrast to the vocals before everything kicks in. It's about a mate turning into a smack head and becoming a c*nt. The thing that really sticks out for me in the The Atoms is their bassist: both of their tracks have killer basslines. Their harmonies are also perfect and both of these songs are fun to listen to!

I have no idea what a Skimmer is, nor do I want to know, but they are so good at what they do. I get quite a gruff punk vibe off these guys and their vocals blend into the chords really well. "Cinders" is super catchy with pretty lyrics which burn a hole in my heart and leave me wanting more. "Anastasia" is a lovely little song about being very impressed by a lady called Anastasia. I really like these guys choice of chord changes, too.

The Crash Mats are my favourite band of the whole split. They sound like they are having so much fun playing their songs and it just feels so punk! "You're A Loose Cannon McGonagall" is a joke song about being the chief above McGonagall and having to put up with all his shit. It starts with the expected sample and its kick ass lead guitar riff is so good at breaking up the choruses. Altogether, it sounds dope. "Curry Party" is a ska punk song with banging chords and the classic ska "PICK IT UP" vocals in the interludes! I really want to see what this band has to offer live.

All in all this is a great introduction to four bands with similar sounds, fans of one band will leave being interested in all four. All the songs are ridiculously catchy and fun! I'll definitely go see all these bands whenever they are playing nearby!

Stream and download 3 Chords 2 Teeth on Bandcamp here.

Like each of the bands on their respective Facebook pages – Werecats, The Atoms, Skimmer and The Crash Mats.