Album Review: Against The Gun by Celebration Summer

Celebration Summer are a four piece band from Washington DC brought together by a shared love of late 80s/early 90s melodic punk rock. Channeling bands such as Leatherface, Samiam and Hot Water Music, Celebration Summer released their debut EP (excluding a demo and a cover) Against The Gun on Little Rocket Records in November of 2020. I discovered it by searching out bands for an upcoming CPRW Records compilation and enjoyed them so much I had to review it as well. 

Against The Gun begins with Bitter End. The song opens with each instrument coming in separately. This is a great way to start as it has you listening intently and builds towards the vocals. Having hopefully already read the introduction to this review I’m sure you can guess what the vocals are like from the bands listed but, in case you don’t know those bands, they are really powerful vocals, verging on gruff and really command your attention. The track is an extremely catchy one to start the EP and welcome you into what to expect from Celebration Summer on the rest of the EP. Up next is I Don’t Want To Be A Burden. The track begins with some uptempo guitars before some sharp vocals come in. Something that always catches my attention is when a song starts with a question so my ears well and truly pricked when I heard the opening line of “what did it mean?” This is a song about self improvement and trying to save a relationship, perhaps something most of us have related to at some point in time. This is definitely a song that is listened to best when it’s really, really loud.

The third song on Against The Gun is My Devotion. The vocals on the track, for the most part, felt a lot more restrained than on the previous two songs – really allowing the driving guitars, melodic bass and intricate drums to shine. As the song progresses it feels as if the reins get looser and looser and this really adds a lot more emotion to the track. The track is about trying to navigate your way through life and how it can feel like your wheels are spinning, things move on and you get left behind. Another really relatable subject. The final song is the six minute epic Against The Gun. This is an incredibly powerful song and one of the most poignant of 2020. It’s a song that is about feeling like everyone is against you and knowing they won’t come to your aid even when your life is at risk. The song begins with cries of “I don’t know how much more of this I can take”, this immediately shows the anger and frustration that lead singer Nate has with how they are treated. I don’t know whether or not this song was written before or after the moment when George Floyd was shot by American police officers last year but that moment really opened up a lot of people’s eyes to the horrible racism that happens in the USA and all over the world, making this song and songs like it even more poignant. If you only listen to one song on this EP, I really suggest it be this one.

Celebration Summer are a band I expect to hear a lot more from in future years as they are superb. Hopefully their relationship with Little Rocket Records will allow them to tour the UK sooner rather than later as this is a band that I feel like a lot of people will enjoy and deserve your attention.

Stream and download Against The Gun on Bandcamp here.

Like Celebration Summer on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Blood Orange Moon by Frankie Stubbs (by Chris Bishton)

Disclaimer: When I asked Colin if he wanted me to write something on Frankie Stubb's Blood Orange Moon EP, I knew full well it was really just an excuse for me to gush about how much of a Godlike genius he is. So you've been warned... if you don't think he (and Leatherface) should be worshiped at an altar, you should probably stop reading this now. 

 

I grew up listening to and watching Frankie and Leatherface. Even though they were from Sunderland, way up north and a city that seemed a millions miles from me in London, they gigged so much. It felt like they were playing the capital all the time.

I remember seeing them all over town, often with their cohorts Snuff. From small pubs in Finsbury Park to big clubs like the Astoria (RIP). I saw them at The Venue – literally next door to CPRW's favourite the New Cross Inn – and I remember the day I first bought a copy of Mush, THE defining Leatherface album, from Reckless Records. I wanted a copy so bad that I bought it even though they'd lost the sleeve. I paid £1.99, rather than £4.29. I played it to death. I still do.

So, now here we are *cough* some years later and it's been far too long since Frankie put out a record. Apart from his previous 7 inch, My Heart Is Home, a couple of years ago, it's almost 20 years since his self-titled 10 inch. Admittedly, Leatherface got back together around the time his first solo record came out and they then proceeded to put out several albums over the following years, but he was then on hiatus after they split for a second time, working a regular shift work job.

Yet, despite this, mention the name Frankie Stubbs to people in today's scene and he still seems to be as well known and popular as ever. Everyone seems to be familiar with those raspy vocals, very often alongside such beautiful lyrics. Could he be labeled the earliest adopter of "gruff punk"? I'd argue so.

Therefore, it's no surprise the new EP has been so popular. The record, released on Little Rocket in the UK and Rad Girlfriend in the US, sold out its first pressing and a second pressing is already on the way.

It's a collection of four acoustic songs – three new and a fourth that's a reworked version of Leatherface's Shipyards. All four are exquisite. The first track is I Liked Being a European. Just from the title I knew I was going to love this. Soft, just Frankie's voice and guitar, with backing from his old Leatherface mate Graeme Philliskirk on guitar. It's acoustic, so is obviously delicate, but it's still raw and unmistakably Frankie.

The middle two tracks are the aforementioned Shipyards and the title track, Blood Orange Moon. These are just Frankie on his own. Shipyards was always one of Leatherface's gentler, stripped back songs, but with this new version it's just him and the guitar, not even the piano is there anymore and it's stunning. Blood Orange Moon itself is a little faster (but not much) and is similarly graceful. The last track is Jimmy Jesus. Graeme provides backing guitar again on this and it's just another wonderful, signature sounding song.

A few years ago Frankie played Pouzza in Canada. He's also played Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas. This year he was meant to play Hamburg's Booze Cruise and was considerably high up on the bill – another measure of the high regard he's still held in – and I was particularly gutted to be missing that festival. I also listened to an interview with him recently where he revealed he still has at least an album's worth of material that he'd worked on with Dickie Hammond, but at the moment, and for obvious reasons, he's not ready to think about releasing that.

Given all this, I hope it means there's still more to come from Frankie N.W. Stubbs. I hope he knows how many will still buy his records and come to his shows. I hope he knows how many still love him. And I hope I get to see him play again.

Stream and download Blood Orange Moon on Bandcamp here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Le Feu Et Le Sable by Airstream Futures (by Chris Bishton)

It doesn't seem very long since Chicago's alt-punks Airstream Futures released their debut album Spirale Inferale. In fact, it's been over two years. So, it's actually about right that they should release the follow up now, another with a French title – Le Feu Et Le Sable – and on one of my favourite labels, Sunderland's Little Rocket Records.

Unfortunately, language skills were not my strong point at school and having failed to pass GCSE French it means I'm forced to Google the translation – 'Fire and Sand.' I'm not sure why both their albums have these French titles, but hey, there were a lot of things at school that weren't my strong point. (Spirale Inferale translates to Infernal Spiral in case you're wondering – I'm sure you weren't.)

Cemetery Sparrow is the opening track and is also the lead single from the new album. A fast and seemingly upbeat track, the song actually addresses mental health, anxiety and depression, whilst set in an old cemetery.

It's a subject that we've written about and held dear at CPRW (if you haven't already, check out CPRW's release for the mental health charity MIND to discover some new favourite bands) and huge credit should go to Airstream Futures for opening the album with this song.

It's also a subject that the band have written about before. Their previous 7" single, If I & PR Nightmares, addressed depression but is a banger. I've listened to Cemetery Sparrow repeatedly now, and it too is a cracking track. It's my favourite on the album and is both a great way to kick off the record and set it up for the rest of the record.

The following 11 songs all knit together very neatly. Listened back to back, I do find they merge from one to another, but that isn't meant as a criticism; rather it feels as if the album flows really well.

The guitars are all fast and Devon's vocals are really strong throughout. I find they're kind of haunting, but extremely melodic. She's a great singer. Brighter Blue, the penultimate song on side one, is one of the tracks that really brings this home. Soaring vocals that fit majestically with the rhythm and guitars.

This new album is definitely a progression from their first. But that's not to say it's markedly *better* because Spirale Inferale was a fine debut. It does feel that the band members work together in a more coherent way though.

Even though Airstream Futures are relatively new as a band, the members have pedigree having been in some of my other favourites including The Methadones, The Bomb and the hugely underrated Noise By Numbers.

It's produced by Rodrigo Palma of Saves The Day and Derek Grant of Alkaline Trio and, to top it all, the godlike genius Frankie Stubbs even sings backing vocals… so let's face facts, I was always going to enjoy this album.

Stream and download Le Feu Et Le Sable on Bandcamp here.

Like Airstream Futures on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.