Album Review: Sham Laws by Slow Science

When Slow Science were announced for Manchester Punk Festival it came as quite the surprise. The four-piece split up in 2014 and I hadn’t ever heard of any rumblings of a reunion. I was pleased to see them returning, as I only ever got into them after catching them at their final show at Urban Bar in Whitechapel. To go along with their MPF appearance they had another surprise. A brand spanking new two track EP titled Sham Laws! This pleased me greatly and I couldn’t wait to check it out.

I’ve realised as I’ve written this that there might be a few folk who are unaware of Slow Science’s sound. I think the best way of describing them is as anthemic, melodic pop punk with dual vocals and beautiful harmonies. There’s also a healthy dose of gang vocals. All the good stuff.

The first track is named Cold Smoke. Now, whenever I usually see that a song is five and a half minutes long I groan. That’s a long length for a song, especially for someone with my attention span. I absolutely loved this song though. It’s a real lesson in making songs long but also keeping them interesting. There’s loads going on but it doesn’t feel congested. It’s also not super repetitive. Cold Smoke starts out in a punchy fashion with Jon taking the lead before the track switches to a more melodic style and Stacey takes over. I love this. The pair switch multiple times throughout the song and combine on the huge chorus. The gang vocals accompanied by some delicious harmonies during the final moments of the song are an absolute thing of beauty that needs to be heard to be believed.

What We Are is the second track on Sham Laws. What a journey this song is! Once again there is a lot going on but once again it all works perfectly. It starts with a dreamy fuzzy guitar riff that all your emo heroes of the past would be jealous of before Jon’s vocals come in as well as some gang harmonies trading lines. A great way to start the song. The chorus has a familiarity to it that sends me back twenty years but doesn’t feel like something they’ve rehashed. What We Are also has plenty of moments where the band can show off their musicianship with some slick solos scattered throughout the song. The ending of the track also shows off a different side of Slow Science as they strip things back and have some huge gang vocals to get things finished, as the band yell “turn to what we are, not what you became” repetitively and the song fades out.

This is one of those times where the level of musicianship and songwriting is so high, I really struggle to review and eloquently describe just how brilliant it is. Basically, don’t take my word for it, go check it out for yourself and you will be as awestruck as I am by it. New material suggests that Slow Science’s appearance at MPF wasn’t a one-time thing and I hope they find their way back down to London pronto.

Stream and download Sham Laws on Bandcamp here.

Like Slow Science on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Feel The Void by Hot Water Music (by Omar Ramlugon)

It’s not overstating things to say that the last couple of years have been pretty dreadful for almost everyone. A worldwide pandemic killed literally millions of people, while we were locked inside our houses and often not even able to bid farewell to our loved ones as they passed. Having only just started to move somewhere past that, a failing state decided to threaten us all with the threat of nuclear annihilation. It has felt like there’s simply nowhere to turn at times; Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan is no stranger to this, admitting in a recent interview ‘[...] man, it's been a really tough couple years. There's been multiple deaths in the family ... from losing family members to our dog, there was just a lot going on.’

Just from the title alone, it’s clear that Feel The Void was very much informed by these turbulent times in which we continue to find ourselves. The album spits and crackles with all the furious energy that you’d expect from these Gainesville stalwarts, but it’s tempered with a deep warmth and humanity from life experience that comes from the majority of the band being well into their 40s by this point. Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard have always been adept with their lyrics and vocals as they are with their guitars, never going for the obvious and instead adopting a wry, spare approach that always serves the music. Indeed, it’s a duo so well known in punk circles that the addition of The Flatliners’ Chris Cresswell may have raised a few eyebrows. Wollard even noted that Cresswell becoming their third guitarist/vocalist was uncharted territory for the band; ‘[...] I had no clue how to do it with three. I didn’t have a plan. I don’t think any of us did, other than plug in and figure it out.’

And figure it out they did. With Brian McTernan at the helm producing, Feel The Void is easily Hot Water Music’s best record for a long while. Whether it’s the shot in the arm from Cresswell, having McTernan back in the fold, or just finding strength in each other and channelling difficult days into their music, they sound revitalised. The album confidently moves through different moods and feelings we’ve all had these last few years, whether it’s the pulse-pounding rage and anxiety of ‘Killing Time’, the laughing in the face of pain exemplified by ‘Collect Your Things And Run’, which manages to make a brilliant hook out of the rhyme “Count to 4, 5, 6, I feel like shit”, or the heart-breaking, grief stricken ‘Habitual’.

The mix is marvellously uncluttered, even with three guitarists, allowing them all to find their place while Jason Black and George Rebelo’s killer rhythm section is as fantastically in the pocket as ever. Vocally, everyone is sounding on top of their game, with Ragan’s stentorian roar, Wollard’s smoky but slightly more tuneful rasp, and Cresswell’s more polished delivery shining, whether they’re backing each other up or leading the charge. The tag team approach taken on the title track is particularly thrilling. Cresswell does lead a song of his own – the killer ‘Turn The Dial’ – and it’s testament to his ability as a musician that he isn’t overshadowed by the four punk lifers around him. Elsewhere, the gnarly rush of ‘Scratch On’ is followed by the almost ballad-like ‘Ride On’, and the album closes itself out with the tuneful, defiant ‘Lock Up’, which features one of the best and most apropos chorus lyrics for these times; “Damn the world that rakes me over the coals/Every day I owe”.

This is a really special record. While there are plenty of cuts that will instantly win you over, there’s still more that don’t grab you at first flush but will slowly work their hooks into you with each listen. It’s Hot Water Music’s best record since The New What Next, easily surpassing Light It Up and pipping Exister to the post. It’s fraught with pain, uncertainty and frustration, but underpinning it all is a sense of the strength garnered from allowing yourself to be vulnerable, so as to confront your darkest impulses with the help of your loved ones, even if that pain comes from letting a loved one go. If that sounds like it would appeal to you, then don’t hesitate to pick this up. We could all do with some reassurance these days, and if Hot Water Music are still making records this good, that has to count for something.

Stream and download Feel The Void on Bandcamp here, as well the the other usual music outlets.

Like Hot Water Music on Facebook here.

This review was written by Omar Ramlugon.

Album Review: Fuckin' Woo by Flangipanis

If you happened to read my end of year list at the end of 2021 then you might have seen that I included the album Fuckin’ Woo by Flangipanis in it. As most of the readers of CPRW are either based in the UK or America, I suspect that you haven’t heard of the Brisbane, Australia, four piece so I figured I should give the album a proper review. Mostly because it gives me an excuse to spend an afternoon listening to the album again and partly because if more folk in the UK become fans of the band, then there’s more chance they’ll be able to do a UK tour. That would be nice. Fuckin’ Woo is fifteen brand new songs from the band in just twenty-seven minutes and it is the follow up to their excellent Community Backwash EP which was released in 2019.

Brand New Day feels like the perfect choice to start the album and not just because of its title. It’s a bouncy and fun track that has an air of familiarity to it. Perfect for welcoming you into Fuckin’ Woo. Despite the cheerful sound of the song, it’s actually about a much deeper issue regarding mental health. It looks into the positive and negative sides of your thoughts fighting each other and the turmoil that that can leave you in. Flangipanis follow this up with a short hardcore song called Present with the repeating lyric “I hope you like your present cunt.” This is the crass side of Flangipanis that I always get a little kick out of. They can do the deep and meaningful stuff but they’re never afraid to go for the ridiculous and offensive as well. The third song on the album is named Run Away. Run Away is a great example of how to do melodic skate punk music really well. It begins slowly with a gradual build and some “whoa-ohs” that begin to get you hyped. The tempo begins to increase and then Jodie’s killer vocals come in and it’s time to go. I adored the melody on the verses, it hooks you in wonderfully. The band fly through the first half of the song before we reach a breakdown that includes some killer harmonies backing Jodie’s vocals to complete the song.

You Don’t Have To Be A Cunt comes next. I hate the c-word but I couldn’t help but smile when I listened to it. I don’t want to say lyrical genius because that would be silly but the level of word play here is pretty impressive. Definitely not what I was expecting when I first read the title of the song. The track is about being a good person and not a bad person. It’s that simple. I enjoyed the vocal trade offs during the song. It’s fast and has so much energy. Loved it. Next is Good Little Taxpayer. This sees the band step into the world of politics. All of the bouncy fun that was on the first four tracks on the album are gone. This is Flangipanis at their most serious. It’s about all of the wrong doing that governments are doing (I’m sure the band are talking in particular about the Australian government but it certainly works for the UK’s as well) and encourages people to make a stand against them. It’s nice to see the band branch out and write a song about this topic. Worthless is a Flangipanis love song. It’s about not feeling like you have any worth but it’s okay when you’re with someone that you love.

The seventh song on Fuckin’ Woo is named Faking It. This is a ferocious punk rock song with the vocals being jam packed with venom. The song is less than ninety seconds long and is relentless. The use of the second vocalist once again adds to the energy of the song and it also adds some aggression which works really well. This is one of those songs that will really get a mosh pit amped up when the band play it live. Clothes was one of the stand out songs when I first listened to the album. Not only is it ridiculously catchy but it also feels extremely important. It’s about how Jodie used to love taking her clothes off at shows but had to stop because of men being creepy perverts. Jodie goes on to call out those men on the song. I feels like a big feminist anthem. If women want to take their clothes off at shows, they should be able to without men making unwanted sexual advances. Train Ciggie is another short, hard and fast song. It’s simply about not liking when people try and smoke on trains or when people try and spark up conversation. I’m with the band on both of these points. Writing this review I’ve learnt that durrie is an Australian slang word for cigarette – there’s a fun fact for you, for reading this far. The song is finished with a shift in melody where the band slow things down and have a group sing-along of “train ciggie, train ciggie, ciggie on a train.”

Skate sees bass player Paul take over lead vocal duties as Flangipanis skank into the realm of ska punk. This was another stand out and not just because my love of ska punk music. The track tells a story of a love of skateboarding and how when you were younger you would spend all of your free time doing this thing you love with your friends. The lyrics in the song create such a visual story, I’m surprised to see the band haven’t yet made a video for the song. Moving Out is an interesting song as the lyrics for the song were all taken from freepunklyrics.tumblr.com which is a blog that began by two friends writing super clichéd punk lyrics. As I’m listening to the song for a fifth time whilst reviewing it, I think I can also hear the riff from The Offspring’s Self Esteem but I may have just convinced myself in my head – have a listen and decide for yourself. The twelfth song on Fuckin’ Woo is Snacks At The Bar and it’s Jodie’s turn at a ska song. Flanigpanis are joined by the brass section of Blowhard for the song. When I first listened to the album, I was not expecting ska and I certainly wasn’t expecting a four piece horn section to appear and it’s a very welcome surprise. The song is about going out, trying to impress someone and making sure to remember the snacks at the bar. Both verses in the track will have you getting your knees up and having a wonderful time skanking away.

Asshole Aunt is a song about Jodie being a terrible aunt. Throughout the song they list all the reasons that they should not be a role model for the child and it’s equal parts terrifying and hilarious. This is one of those times where Jodie shows what a good lyricist they are even if the song is pretty vulgar. If you have a dark sense of humour then this is a song for you. Not all songs have to change the world and make you think. Sometime you just want to be amused and smile and Asshole Aunt does that for me. The penultimate song on Fuckin’ Woo is titled Perfectly Average. This track talks about being just one of the seven billion people on the planet and constantly feeling as if you’re not making any progress in your life but trying to make the best of it. There’s a nice positive feeling that comes from the song that gives me a great vibes. The fifteenth and final song on the album is Small Talk. I’m big on albums finishing with a bang, especially if they have a lot of tracks like Fuckin’ Woo does and Flangipanis deliver here. The final song is the party that I suspect Flangipanis always bring when they play live. The song starts slowly but quickly shifts into top gear as the band race through the chorus in a full throttle kind of way. The song is about cutting out small talk and just partying like it’s your last night on earth. There are plenty of “whoa-oh” moments and chances for the band’s audience to shout the words back at the band. The perfect way to end an incredible album.

I bloody love Flanipanis. Everything they release makes me really happy. I’m fully aware they won’t be everyone’s pint of pepsi as humour is a very subjective thing, as all art is, but they’re definitely worth taking a chance on. I think you’ll be surprised. The more I listen to it, the more things I find that I think are really important to hear in the current climate. There are songs about mental health, politics, feminism and living your best life. I listen to music because it makes me happy, Flangipanis make me really, really happy. I hope they do for you as well.

Stream and download Fuckin' Woo on Bandcamp here.

Like Flangipanis on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Twistin' The Knife Away by Heart & Lung

Red Scare Industries continue their trend for only releasing bangers. Towards the end of last year, they released the brand new full length from Cleveland, Ohio’s Heart & Lung. I first heard of Heart & Lung thanks to a lot of listening to bands playing The Fest 2021 in Gainesville. I immediately knew they were a band for me and, knowing their sound, it was no surprise that Red Scare ended up releasing Twistin’ The Knife Away. The album is eleven tracks of superb punk rock and features three different lead singers and plenty of harmonies. What’s not to love!

Twistin’ The Knife Away begins with Watch You Suffer. After a short audio clip, we’re greeted with a high energy introduction. The guitars buzz and the vocals have a hint of urgency that ensures that the album kicks off in the right way. The track is also plenty catchy with a chorus that you will be singing from your first listen and for days to come afterwards. I felt that it was pretty gutsy of the band to take on religion on the first track but seriously enjoyed it. The next track, I’m Fine, has more of a mid-tempo style with Heart & Lung immediately showing off their different vocalists and influences. The switch in style may take the listener a bit by surprise but will also help retain attention throughout the entire album. I’m Fine is about trying to convince people that you’re okay, when in truth you’re just lying to yourself and everyone else. This is something I’m sure we’ve all done and can really relate too. The band return to the poppier side of their sound on Punk Posters. This is another real earworm of a track. The opening harmonies of “putting up all my old punk posters” puts a smile on my face every time hear it. The track is about getting over a break up by going back to the things you found love and comfort in before the relationship. In this case, it’s punk rock music.

Die Alone is a forty-four second song that is simply about dying alone. It’s short, catchy and has a shreddy solo to finish the track. I’m not sure there’s much more to say about it other than I bet it’s great fun to sing live. The fifth song is titled Headache. Headache is another of the slower tracks on Twistin’ The Knife Away and offers a bit of a rest after the high tempo nature of the previous two songs. It’s a masterclass in writing a catchy song but also being extremely melancholic. The song eases in gently and sets out the scene of what life suffering with depression can be like. As the song progresses, the whole band comes in and gives the song a fuller sound. I can imagine this song also being extremely well received in a live setting and it being super cathartic. Up next is Shit Together. Starting out with some dual vocalists trading off lines was something I really liked. I’m assuming that the band are all in their late twenties and/or early thirties as they question where their lives are going and wonder when “they will get their shit together.” Another hugely relatable song that will be super fun to sing along to. The song structure is pretty simple, making it really accessible for the folk listening. I particularly liked the verse where the band essentially lists all the things going wrong in their life – I thought that was some quite creative lyric writing. Never Come Home is a song about dealing with loss and coming to terms with the finality of death. It’s definitely the saddest and most emotional song on the album and displays a different style of songwriting from the band. The “whoa-oh” shouts throughout the track really add some extra atmosphere to Never Come Home and you can hear some heartbreak as they are bellowed out.

Caveman is another short song – this time it’s just thirty-four seconds. Heart & Lung do an impressive job of packing a lot into this high octane pop punk song about starting again and going back to when times seemed simpler. Track nine is named Drunk And Right. On my first listen through of Twistin’ The Knife Away, Drunk And Right was one of the stand out songs for me. In particular, it was the lyric “shit don’t change if you don’t push back” that really caught my ear. Given the amount of gang vocals and harmonies that Heart & Lung use, it makes sense for them to have a song that rallies people to fight back against injustices. The jangly guitar sound that introduces the song and leads into the opening “whoa-oh” is masterful – the song does a magnificent job in subtly building up. It’s one where you get hooked in without even realising that they have caught you. The penultimate song is titled Control. This is a shorter song that feels as if it’s been split into two parts. The first part is just one of the band’s vocalists and a guitar along with a simple drumbeat welcoming you into the song before the whole band gradually comes in and the song explodes into a huge sound. As the whole band does come in, the song also becomes more urgent and it eventually feels like it’s a race to the finish. Last up is Earth, Wind, And Water. What a wonderfully raucous way to finish the album! Once again, the track starts out at a slower tempo but it’s not long before the chaos begins. There’s so much going on throughout the song with tempo and melody shifts, key changes and vocals galore. It’s what I love to see in a punk rock song. It’s nice not knowing what’s going to happen next. I think it’s important for an album to finish with a bang and Heart & Lung certainly accomplished this. Great stuff!

The list of bands that have released amazing records on Red Scare and then gone on to do some amazing things is massive and I can fully see Heart & Lung following on in the footsteps of those bands.

Stream and download Twistin' The Knife Away on Bandcamp here.

Like Heart & Lung on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Fires Forming by The Jukebox Romantics

New Yorkers The Jukebox Romantics released their long awaited new EP Fires Forming at the end of 2021. This was the band’s first new material since their split with The Sewer Rats which was released in 2018. I didn’t really start listening to them until they did a UK tour with our friends Triple Sundae in 2019, followed by a European tour in which they played Hamburg’s Booze Cruise Festival. I was lucky enough to catch them at that festival and absolutely loved their set. I also really enjoyed their Alkaline Trio cover set that they played the same evening. It was honest, heart on your sleeve punk rock that was written to be played in sweaty basements. That’s exactly my kind of thing so I was very keen to check out this EP. Christmas very much got in the way so now, at the beginning of January, I’m finally getting some time to check out Fires Forming.

The five track EP begins with Time To Fly. The track wastes no time in getting started, getting the EP off to a blistering start. Time To Fly is a real call to arms of a song. I don’t know if The Jukebox Romantics really stray much into the realm of politics that often but this track is one that really encourages the listener to stand up and rebel against the people who are supposed to be in charge and helping but are instead using opportunities to capitalise for themselves. This is such an uplifting way to start the EP. Up next is Hey Nora. This was the band’s lead single for the EP and they even made a fun music video featuring some wonderful dance moves. One of my first observations about the track was the pounding drum beat that provides such a thick spine for the song. It’s a simple beat but, boy oh boy, does it drive the song on. The song feels deeply personal and I believe that it’s about seeking answers on how to make the world a better place from a departed loved one. The chorus is a wonderfully catchy one that will have a room of people shouting the lyrics right back at the band.

The third track on Fires Forming is titled Dine Fleisch. On Punknews I came across a quote from the band’s Mike Terry stating that the song is about how we as humans have a choice about what we consume and how animals don’t have that choice. The song is written from the viewpoint of animals at a farming factory who are trying to plot their escape. Given the song’s meaning, it’s perhaps no great surprise that this is one of the heavier songs on the EP. I particularly enjoyed the intensity in the vocals, they really made me pay that extra bit of attention. The penultimate song on the EP is named You Spin Me (Right Said Fred). This song sounds like a bit of a nineties throwback compared to anything else on the EP. It shows that The Jukebox Romantics aren’t afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves. The chorus in particular reminds me of a lot of the melodic skate punk from the 90s and early 2000s era of skate punk. The track has a bit of a chaotic ending with a melody switch and some big harmonies. The final track on the EP is Castaway. On my first listen through of the EP this was the song that stood out the most, with its slow start where the band sing about wanting to get away from their home and finding somewhere better. Soon enough the song kicks in properly and we are treated to a mid tempo basement sing-along. As I listen to the song and read the lyrics, it dawned on me that the idea of leaving a town might be a metaphor and instead the song is about dealing with mental health issues, in particular trying to get through them before it’s too late. This track really has a feeling of a final song, especially with the atmospheric “whoa-ohs” that are included and the long fade out that gives you time to really think about the final lyrics of “get me out of this world before I run out of time.”

Fires Forming is a superb addition to the Jukebox Romantics discography. This really is a solid EP from such a solid band. I only have one gripe with is, I wish they had done an entire album because as soon as it finishes I still want more. Hopefully that’s in the pipeline and they’ll be back in the UK or Europe sooner rather than later. I’m keen for another shout-along.

Stream and download Fires Forming on Bandcamp here.

Like The Jukebox Romantics on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

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: Heat by The High Times

Last year, the fine folk of Booze Cruise were putting on regular live streams every couple of weeks which were jam packed with amazing acts from all over the world. One of my highlights was when Swiss punks Überyou put together a full band show. Added on to the end of that video was a short set from a new band featuring members of Überyou. That band was The High Times and I was instantly a fan. Back in April the band finally released their debut album Heat through Gunner Records and Say-10 Records.

The first of the nine songs on the album is the title track, The Heat. The Heat is a melodic pop punk banger that does a super job of introducing you to The High Times. The guitars have a warmth to them that welcome you in and Dom’s vocals stand out immediately. The track is also super catchy so you’ll be singing along with the band in no time. I particularly enjoyed the “whoas” that build up towards each verse. Sometimes starts off at a slower pace and you can definitely hear soome Überyou in the style. It’s a sombre feeling song about missing and yearning for someone from a past relationship and how it will make you feel more right with the world. There’s a nice familiarity to the music that’s like putting on old shoes. This might be partly down to the “whoa-ohs” that quickly get stuck in your head. The third song, Good Company, is an uplifting song about making sure people know that they’re not alone even when they’re at their lowest. Of course it’s another big sing-along, this will give the listener a wonderful feeling of catharsis. A song that I’m sure will be a big hit when The High Times play it live.

Lose Control has a great energetic melody to it. It’s not super fast but is played at a tempo that really gets you pumped. This makes perfect sense as the song is about what its title suggests – Losing Control. This is another song that I can see going down really well live. On the fifth song, Nothing Matters, The High Times begin in quite a heavy fashion. When Dom’s vocals come in the song turns into a bit of an anthem for living life your own way, ignoring what other people say. I really liked the switch in tempos between chorus and verse and the addition of a male vocal during the song’s middles section gave the track a fresher feeling. Trouble Again sees The High Times move into an indie and, dare I say, pop territory. This is the song that I would play someone who wouldn’t normally listen to punk music as a way to introduce them to the sound. Seems like a good starting point for a new fan. Dom’s voice is perfectly suited to this style and shows off what an excellent singer she is.

In The End sees the band revert to a more familiar style. Dom’s vocals feel more muted than at any other point of the album, particularly in the verses. This really made me pay extra attention to the lyrics of the song. In The End is about finding your own special place where you feel safe and fit in. This is something we all appreciate and it makes you feel better. I would guess that we’ve all missed our special places enormously over the past 18 months. The penultimate song on Heat is titled Blew Up My Radio. This track has a bit of an old school rock ’n’ roll vibe as well as a country music twang in the vocals. Writing that sentence makes me think that this shouldn’t work as a punk rock song but it really really does. Blew Up My Radio is about the frustration in the fact that a lot of modern music doesn’t have the same passion that it used to. I really related to the track as I certainly feel the same with not really getting a lot of new, mainstream music. The final track is Figure Out Impossible. Really mixing things up, the track starts out with some male vocals, something that hasn’t happened at all on the album until this point. This really grabs the listener for this final song. The track starts out slowly with the vocals adding a load of emotion to the song. It builds to a more high tempo chorus where Dom takes over the lead vocals. The use of both vocalists on the song is superb and something I kind of wish the band had done more on the album. This is a big way to finish – a big fists in the air sing-along to complete a fine album.

Heat is an excellent debut from The High Times. I can see them being a regular at festivals throughout Europe and hopefully further afield in the future. Big things are surely on the horizon for this band.

Stream Heat in the usual places and buy physical copies here and here.

Like The High Times on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Our Hell Is Right Here by Drones (by Robyn Pierce)

Drones is one of the many awesome bands I’ve discovered through Manchester Punk Festival, and I was an early fan of theirs in 2018 when their first album Exiled came out. Their debut release already showed an intense, high-energy band, with amazing musicianship and a sharp socio-political focus, and it was easily one of my favourite albums of that year. So, I was really happy when they announced that they’d be releasing their next album on Lockjaw Records in February, and the album title of Our Hell Is Right Here seemed to suggest that Drones may once again be calling out social injustice and exploring difficult issues. The band has been through some tough times and had to overcome the additional challenge of recording during a pandemic, which perhaps makes this album a little more special. After getting into it, it’s clear the second album still has all of the lashing energy of the first but also includes more personal topics and a gritty but hopeful energy.

The album bursts open with ‘Please Vacate the Planet’, hitting you right away with pounding drums and ripping guitars. These are soon joined by Lois McDougall’s powerful vocals, which all work together to give Drones the big and layered sound I’ve come to love. It’s a lot like Rise Against, particularly their older faster-tempo songs, although Lois’s unique voice really sets them apart. The first track is quickly followed by the aggressive self-love of ‘Live and Let Live’ and the title track ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’, both backed by big hooks and a driving beat. In the first, Lois sings about having the courage to be yourself and not striving for external validation, while the latter delves more heavily into shared pain and betrayal. ‘Manipulate’ completes this high-tempo start to the album, including some gorgeous background “woahs”, before slowing things down with a call to ‘Listen’. ‘Listen’ is a short acoustic song with some beautiful synth embellishments, reassuring those who may be struggling with mental illness or who “feel like dying” that they’re not alone and that someone is willing to listen.

‘Learn’ is the longest song on the album at just over four and a half minutes, building up some staccato guitar chords into a soaring chorus, with some added technical flourishes here and there. It’s a song that really showcases the band’s prowess as musicians and as songwriters. Next up is ‘Josephine’, which was released as a lead single together with a trippy animated music video featuring a dangerous space mission, alien strippers, and overindulgence. It’s driven by a fantastic central riff and a catchy chorus, strategically slowing down in parts just to build right back up to a glorious rip-roaring ending. Coming into the second half of the album, ‘Lost in translation’ is a blistering two-minute track about emotional vulnerability and how “you’ve got to learn how to share if you want to live”. ‘Epitaph’ is a solemn mid-pace song about the terrible things the mind whispers in our darkest moments, while ‘Colourblind’ leans a little more into hardcore and ‘Grey Matters’ delivers more fist-pumping goodness. ‘Void’ has a killer breakdown that I would just love to hear live, and the whole album wraps up with the rousing call to action of ‘Warning Signs’.

Our Hell Is Right Here is an excellent second album from Drones, with gloriously big guitar riffs, incredible vocals, and raging melodies. While the songs differ to those on their first album in turning their attention inward to more personal matters, it’s a welcome reminder that we owe just as much to ourselves as we do to others. This is an album that celebrates resilience, grit, as well as vulnerability, and delivers high-energy hooks from start to finish.

Stream and download Our Hell Is Right Here on Bandcamp here.

Like Drones on Facebook here.

This review was written by Robyn Pierce.

Album Review: Saccharine by Pinkshift

Pinkshift are a four piece band featuring Ashrita Kumar, Paul Vallejo, Myron Houngbedji and Erich Weinroth who are from Baltimore, Maryland. They first came to my attention in 2020 thanks to a Facebook group and immediately impressed me with their take on punk rock and grunge. In April of 2021 the band released their debut EP, Saccharine, which features five heavy hitting tracks.

 

The opening track on Saccharine is titled Mars. This song is three minutes and forty-five seconds of solid melodic punk rock. The track fades in to start which allows the listener to get ready for what’s about to come. Once we get to full volume there’s already a feeling of energy surrounding the song before Ashrita Kumar’s exceptional vocals come in. They do a super job of grabbing your attention and taking you through the song, displaying some excellent range along the way. These vocals are backed exceptionally by the rest of the band, with a guitar solo really standing out. On Thin Ice begins with a simple drum beat that’s played before the vocals come in. Something I noticed on my first listen of the song was the way that it seemingly switches up melodies throughout the song. This is such an effective way of retaining the listener’s attention throughout. Despite being less than three minutes long Pinkshift manage to pack a huge amount into the song and by the time we reach the finale I was exhausted, but in the best way possible.

I’m Gonna Tell My Therapist On You was the lead single for Saccharine. Coming at you like a bullet, this is a hugely energetic and in your face track – it’s very obvious why this song was picked as a single. Pinkshift’s grunge influences shine through on the song, alongside a poppy, hook filled chorus completed with some delightful “ooooh-ooh” harmonies. The song looks at how being in a bad relationship can affect your mental health and the spiralling effect that can take place. The penultimate song is Toro. Despite only being ninety seconds long, Pinkshift pack a lot into the track. It starts out at a frantic pace that I imagine is very exciting when they play live. Ashrita sings about having someone in their head and knowing the problems it causes. As we reach the halfway point of the song, Toro changes gears and switches into a longer musical interlude which has some chilled vibes. This interlude serves as a long introduction to the final song Rainwalk. I’ve often talked about the importance of the final track on a release sounding huge and I think it’s clear listening to the track that Pinkshift agree with me. Not only is the song an EP closer, it also feels like it could be the set closer for the band. There’s so much going on I can’t mention it all but I will say it maintains the energy that the band have showcased throughout Saccharine and it really shows off just how skilled the band are. This is without a doubt a song that I wish I could be in a rowdy mosh pit for. It’s a song that deserves one.

I definitely feel like it’s only a matter of time until Pinkshift are a band on the lips of punk rockers all over the world. Based on Saccharine, it’s very clear that they have a very bright future ahead of them and could become one of the most important bands in the genre.

Stream and download Saccharine on Bandcamp here.

Like Pinkshift on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Chick Chicken EP by Skiv

Skiv are a band we’ve been having the joy of seeing live for a couple of years now. The melodic punk four piece have become a staple in the South London punk scene thanks to their entertaining and, at times, raucous performances. I’ve said on many occasions that they are also one of the most talented groups of musicians in our scene and that talent always shines through when you see them live. They have previously released a three single collection named the Meal Deal EP. After many delays due to various lockdowns in the UK, Skiv recently released a new EP named Chick Chicken. The band was kind enough to send me an early copy.

The EP begins with its title track, Chick Chicken. This is an ode to the takeaway a couple of doors down from the band's beloved New Cross Inn in South East London. It’s a short one minute long song where Jordan, Conor and Liam all take turns singing a verse. It’s a short and sweet song that put a smile on my face. I believe this is the first time that Conor and Liam have handled vocal duties on a Skiv release and this shows where the band are heading on the rest of the EP. The second track is named Berlinerluft. Bassist Conor takes lead vocal on this song and it’s nice to hear. Conor was the lead vocalist for his former band Cereal Box Heroes and it’s great to hear him step behind the microphone again. The song is about relying on alcohol to help quiet the voices in your head when you’re going through some deep and heavy things. This is definitely a more open and emotional side of Conor that we’re not used to but this is an incredibly well written song.

The third song, Devil In Dartford, sees Liam and Jordan team up on the vocals. Liam’s gruffer voice alongside Jordan’s smoother style sounds fantastic, the two work extremely well together. On this song Skiv manage to blend some rockabilly into their usual melodic punk sound. I’m surprised this works as well as it does but I guess that proves what a talented bunch these guys are. Devil In Dartford is about a young, troubled boy who turns pretty evil as he gets older. I’m not sure if this story is true or fictional but the band does a fantastic job of painting a picture with the lyrics throughout the track. The final song on Chick Chicken is one I recognise from seeing Skiv live. In A&E begins with some fantastic bass playing and builds up to Jordan’s superb vocals. I’ve been saying since Jordan’s days in DropThis that he’s one of the best singers in the UK’s DIY punk scene and I continue to stand by that statement. Jordan and Liam team up again on the song with Jordan handling the verse and Liam the chorus. This is potentially my favourite song that Skiv have released so far.

If you’re new to Skiv then the Chick Chicken EP will work as a superb introduction to the band. The EP does a wonderful job in showcasing all four members of the band’s incredible talent. I like that all three vocalists had songs featured on the EP and I assume that this will be a big feature of Skiv’s live set in the future. Great job on the EP guys.

Stream and download Chick Chicken EP here.

Like Skiv on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Prophylactic Shock by Slap Happy

Denver, Colorado’s Slap Happy are a three piece band who formed in 2018. After releasing a demo and single, the band finally released their first full length in February. Titled Prophylactic Shock, it features nine songs of melodic pop punk squeezed into twenty-eight minutes. Colorado seems to be one of those states that consistently births great melodic punk bands, this made me very keen to check out Slap Happy.

Prophylactic Shock begins with the song Freak Out. Starting out with some bass before a drum roll and buzzing guitar come in, the track builds towards the vocals. When they come in you’re ready to sing along with the band. The opening line of “sometimes I get paranoid and freak out” is as cathartic as it gets. The two verses lead really well into the simple, effective sing-along choruses. Between the two choruses there’s a nice break down that will give a crowd a short rest before finishing with a final big sing-along. Next is Same Old. Same Old was one of the standout tracks for me when I first listened to Prophylactic Shock. The song continues the theme of mental health, in particular questioning why things aren’t changing and you still don’t feel right. The almost four and a half minute run time of the song gives the band room to play around with the tempo of the song. They take a moment to really slow things down towards the song’s end before building up to one last chorus, which is completed with some superb harmonies. From the longest song on the album, we move on to the shortest. Kingsley Manor picks up the pace slightly for a song about moving on from your old punk house before it becomes too much for you mentally. The higher tempo gives the album a great boost of energy which I really enjoyed. This is another stand out song from the album – it’s short, sweet and got me pumped up.

The Sun starts with a rumbling bass line accompanied by some vocals before the full band comes in and the lines are repeated. There’s a sharpness to the way the vocals are delivered which really grabs the attention. This is more of an angry song about global warming and needing to act now despite governments seemingly not wanting to admit that the world is in a lot of trouble. Much like how it’s important that bands tackle mental health in their music, I think it’s also important for bands to use their platform to speak out about causes like this more and more. The fifth song, Slacker, sees the beginning of a sequence of songs that get a bit heavier. There’s a sludgier sound to the band which is quite the contrast to what we’ve heard so far. Slacker is about feeling like you’re going nowhere in your life and struggling to find motivation to do anything productive. Something we’ve all related to at some point I’m sure. Dejected is a slower, grunge-like song. The bass line gives the song a really solid spine throughout and allows the guitar to do some interesting things with the reverb. Dejected is about feeling disappointed with where your life is heading and not getting any luck. This lack of luck leaves you struggling mentally as well as causing frustration and anger. The tone of the song really helps set the mood for the overall theme.

The seventh song, Dissent, continues the heavier sound but has more of a 80s hardcore feeling to it. The guitars throughout the song really wail and bring the energy up. The vocals turn into a snarling growl that are quite difficult to make out at times. Something Slap Happy seem to enjoy doing in their songs is slow breakdowns that build towards the song’s finale. We get another one on Dissent and it may be the best one of the album, it’s my favourite anyway. The penultimate song is titled Cement Foot. Slap Happy switch to more of an indie punk sound, showing such versatility to their music. The guitars jangle in the introduction with the vocals giving the track a choppy melody that really hooks you in. A highlight is the chorus where Slap Happy treats the listener to some Beach Boy style harmonies that add a sweet extra layer to the song. Cement Foot is one of the more uplifting and positive songs on the album. It’s about struggling mentally but standing up and saying you won’t be defeated. The ninth and final song on Prophylactic Shock is These Times. These Times bookends the album nicely by reverting back to the melodic pop punk that began Prophylactic Shock. It’s about something a lot of us in our thirties worry about, our friends moving on and wondering what the next step in your life is. I really like the positivity that comes out of the song, particularly the chorus, which feels like the singer is taking a giant leap into the unknown and looking forward to it.

Slap Happy showcase a lot of variety on this album and have managed to put together a collection of songs that should cater for fans of many different punk sounds. The band touch on a lot of subject that are important to me and many other folk in the punk scene and that’s always pleasing to hear. Well done Slap Happy on a very promising debut album.

Stream and download Prophylactic Shock on Bandcamp here.

Like Slap Happy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Sick Day by Rest Easy

It seems like a while since I’ve banged on about a great Canadian band. On this occasion it’s Rest Easy who are a four piece who reside in Vancouver and feature members of Daggermouth and Shook Ones. In February, the band released their debut EP titled Sick Day on Mutant League Records. It is four songs of high octane punk rock with gravelly voiced vocals and massive, intense sing-alongs. The first time I heard them I was hooked and looked forward to giving the band a proper listen.

Sick Day begins with Get Busy Dyin’. The track ensures the EP gets off to a ferocious start. After a quick build, the vocals explode out of the speakers. It took approximately nine seconds to go from calm to fully pumped up and I loved that. This is the type of song that will have kids going crazy in a pit. After that frantic beginning, Rest Easy switch to a more melodic approach that makes you feel like the song will build to a big finale but instead leads nicely into the second song Headaches. The track again starts quickly, it hits you like a brick to the face but in the best possible way. (That’s a terrible metaphor, I don’t think there is a good way for a brick to hit you in the face). Much like Get Busy Dyin’, the song feels like it’s in two parts, that big start before then slowing down for a more melodic finish. This finish demands a massive sing-along from a live crowd – it’s just wonderful.

Bad Idea is the title of the third song on Sick Day. Unlike the first two songs, Bad Idea starts in a more melodic way which eases the listener into a song in a much gentler fashion. I think that because of this slower start the track feels so much more emotional than the previous two tracks. This adds a great extra string to the Rest Easy bow. I really enjoyed how the band use multiple vocalists throughout the track, cleverly switching between trading lines, harmonies and big gang vocals – there is so much going on throughout. The final track is the EP’s title track Sick Days. This was the first Rest Easy song I heard and I absolutely fell head over heels for it. On that first listen, the lyric “it’s okay not to be okay” really caught my attention. I’m always drawn to a track that talks about mental health like this, it’s important to be reminded of things like this. Sick Day takes you on a series of highs and lows with some brilliant changes in tempo and melody that keep you guessing throughout. It is such a big way to finish this brilliant debut from Rest Easy.

Obviously, given the members other bands, Rest Easy is a band of real pedigree. I was hooked the first time I listened to Sick Day. I’m happy that I was able to listen to the EP before I discovered the band’s history as I got to hear it without any preconceived expectations and was blown away. I’m sure fans of Daggermouth and Shook Ones will love this release. I’m already desperate for them to make their way to the UK for some shows as soon as possible.

Stream and download Sick Day on Bandcamp here.

Like Rest Easy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: S.F. Sourdough by Billy No Mates (by Chris Bishton)

This record hasn't actually taken 10 years to make, rather it's been "sat on the sidelines" according to Duncan Redmonds, AKA Billy. Essentially Duncan's solo sideline project that started back in 2004 and which has featured a cast of supporting members from so many bands that I have loved, including but not limited to Vanilla Pod, Guns n' Wankers and Sink.

At times, a truly pan-global band of contributors – Duncan recruited people from Europe and Japan to help with live shows – this latest record, S.F. Sourdough, was recorded at the backend of 2010 in the US and features some proper punk rock royals. This time Joey Cape of Lagwagon, Tyson Annicharico of Dead To Me/Western Addiction and Sergie Loobkoff of Samiam contribute to Duncan's Billy No Mates melodic/skate-punk/sea-shanty/Snuff-esque sound.

So, do Duncan's US helpers take the Billy No Mates project in a different direction? Not really. In fact six of the 12 tracks on this album are re-recordings that have been available before. But that's not a bad thing! It's great to have that familiar Billy sound blaring when I inevitably crank up the volume on this. Tuneful, fast, melodic, punk rock with brilliantly observant and often funny lyrical vocals, but without a Snuff-style brass section, giving it that more recognisable Billy No Mates feel.

The album opens with If These Street Could Talk. Even though it's 10 years old, like everything **errr, well… apart from the odd Shake n Vac and Branflakes ad cover** he's done, it doesn't sound dated at all. Duncan's vocal starts immediately, gently supported by a few guitar strums, but you know instantly this won't last as it starts to build and the tempo quickens. You know it's coming, and about 40 seconds or so in it does as more hectic guitars kick in and we're off, telling a story of London, Duncan's home town.

Big Cliché is next. Concentrating on the lyrics, it's kind of scathing. The narrative of a formulaic punk song, complete with chord progression instructions. Dot-to-dot, but not a child's picture, rather a band's song. The line "a great big fuck off choir singing all the clichés about holding your head high, singing proud, walking tall through the storm" makes me smile, before it slows as Duncan muses on whether or not the song is any good anyway.

The next two tracks, Slap Top and Look At You, we've heard before having been on the first album We Are Legion. That's not a problem though, they're cracking tracks and these versions fit well on this record. Both are short, under two minute, fast punk blasts. Look At You is a particular past favourite of mine.

The album races along. Skull And Smiles is next and is faster still. It almost has a skate punk air to it.

Apart from the "bready" samples the title track, Sourdough, is an instrumental. A fast blast of under two minutes.

Angry Song is just that. About as hardcore/metalcore as it gets on this album. The title seems a great onomatopoeia, although it's hard to pick out the gritty lyrics. At just over a minute long, unsurprisingly it's the shortest song on the album.

There's no duds on this record. All the tracks merit their place, but the song that I haven't heard before and that's my favourite on the album is What's That Fluffy. It's harmonic and mid-tempo and it's the song that most reminds me of Snuff, in particular their last album There's A Lot Of It About, only this was written at least 10 years before that record came out.

The album comes to an end with a longer, slower track, Your Name In Lights, that seems to have a distinct Joey Cape sway to it. It's a winsome way to close out.

Listening back over these 12 tracks, it's great that it doesn't sound dated, but when you think about it, it should be obvious that was never likely. Why would Duncan bother to put out a record that does? Why would anyone? It sounds familiar, which it is because we've heard some of the songs before and most importantly because Duncan is a great lyricist and songwriter. But, for me, this just means it's not stale or rehashed. Billy No Mates haven't been reinvented here, but if you loved them before, you'll love them again with this.

Finally, I think what really speaks volumes is that I'd put this up there with some of my favourite records from Duncan. There's stuff from Snuff and Guns N Wankers that will always be special to me, but Billy No Mates definitely forms part of a punk rock trio that sit together as peers.

Billy No Mates… the ultimate irony when it comes to naming your band, as everyone should love Duncan.

Pre-order S.F. Sourdough on vinyl through SBÄM Records here. The album is released digitally on 29th January.

Like Billy No Mates on Facebook here. 

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Go Outside by Eat Defeat (by Emma Prew)

Who releases new music on the 18th of December when everyone is listening to Christmas playlists? Eat Defeat, that’s who! Having been recorded in the spring of 2019, the Leeds-based pop punk band had been sitting on their latest EP, Go Outside, for quite some time. They initially unleashed it into the world back in March this year, when tours were being cancelled left, right and centre, but it was only available to download from Bandcamp for one day. Obviously I downloaded it there and then but as the EP has now had its ‘official’ – albeit unplanned – release, I felt it was time to give these song a proper review.

Summers, Eat Defeat’s bassist, lead vocalist and songwriter, describes Go Outside as ‘5 tracks that we wrote and recorded nearly 2 years ago but probably resonate more with me now than they did then. 5 songs of feeling trapped, uninspired, lonely but always looking forward.’ And if that doesn’t sound like something that’s much needed as the shitshow that is 2020 comes to an end, then you should probably stop reading now.

Go Outside kicks off with Turn-About Ranch as we are greeted by pounding drums and melodic guitars. After a few seconds the vocals come in with Summers uttering ‘Not today, I’m kind of sick and tired of forcing a smile, And I’m sure you are too.’ Eat Defeat sure are good at writing simple yet relatable songs and this is not exception. Turn-About Ranch is about that overwhelming feeling of wanting to hide away from ‘real-life’ while not exactly feeling sad but just feeling okay. It’s a fast paced track that only just surpasses a minute in length but the band manage to pack a lot in, including the introduction of keys which bring a slightly more electronic sound to the EP than you’d perhaps have expected from Eat Defeat previously. It’s a sound that is continued on the second track, Everything Is Broken, with the opening line of ‘Everything is broken, But I’m not, But I’m not.’ featuring plenty of reverb – a striking opening for sure. Those pounding drums and guitars are as apparent as in the first track but they are also joined by an infectious synth-like sound. A continuation of the themes that are covered on Turn-About Ranch, Everything Is Broken is about trying to overcome the despair that keeps you trapped inside, both physically inside your home and inside your own head, and start to make amends. The chorus – which is the same as the opening lines of the song – feels like a triumphant call to arms and is certainly as good as anything on the band’s 2018 album I Think We’ll Be OK.

The third song is titled Panic, a feeling that is emphasised by the urgent guitars that the band open with. The previous two tracks did some things a little differently to existing Eat Defeat material, whereas this feels like the band we already know and love. Both sides of Eat Defeat are great, of course, but with Panic I felt immediately attuned to it and it’s a song I’ve listened to a lot lately. Panic certainly wouldn’t sound at all out of place on I Think We’ll Be OK, particularly with that catchy, instantly sing-along-able chorus – ‘So I’ll wait ’til the panic sinks in, The water’s rising, The pressures building. I can’t focus on anything, Until my heart slows, Just keep on breathing in and out.’ The song has obviously been written as a way for Summers to deal with his own feelings of anxiety but I think it can also be a comfort to anyone who might be feeling similar things.

Chance Would Be A Fine Thing is the name of the fourth song and the band show no signs of slowing down as the track opens with a frantic guitar riff. With the opening lyrics of the song offering a nice little nod to where the band have come from – ‘I watched you walk away, You said I think we’ll be okay.’ – the song feels more direct and distinctly personal than the others, as Summers sings of feeling lonely and missing someone dear to him who lives in a different timezone. I’ll be honest, it’s the kind of subject matter that I often cringe at, especially in pop punk music, but with Eat Defeat it just feels so sincere and genuine. There’s also some brilliant harmonies at the end of the song – damn, I miss seeing Eat Defeat live! The last track on Go Outside is Wake Up. Like Panic, this is a song I’ve listened to a lot this year – partly because it was actually released as a single all the way back in January, before the world imploded. The track has it all, from super catchy melodies and euphoric harmonies to rousing lyrics that make you want to throw your hands in the air and shout ‘Yes! I know exactly what you mean and how you feel’. The whole thing sounds huge and the breakdown around the halfway point of the song further emphasises this before leading us into some of the most poignant lyrics of the whole EP. ‘It took a long, long time, To write down what was on my mind, I couldn’t do this without you, And I don’t think that I’d want to. I can’t stop myself from falling apart, But I hope that you can, And I hope that you will.’ 

The release of Go Outside may not have gone quite as planned for Eat Defeat but I’m so glad that it’s now out there in the world for all to hear. This EP is brilliant and certainly some of the best material the band have produced to date and it really has me excited to see and hear what they do next.

If Go Outside happened to pass you in December by please make sure you check it out now, you won’t regret it.

Stream and download Go Outside on Bandcamp and like Eat Defeat on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: The Erin Rose EP by Good Friend

On December the 11th, Irish punk trio Good Friend surprised us all with the release of their long awaited new EP. Titled The Erin Rose EP, it comes four years after their last Red Scare release Ride The Storm. This was the release that made me aware of the band and it’s been a long four years waiting for some new stuff. It’s finally here, it’s three songs, let’s dive in.

The EP begins with Erin Rose Drinks On Shift. This is a generous slab of mid-tempo heartfelt punk rock. The song gets off to a nice energetic start and there is a bit of a comforting feeling when lead singer Adam’s vocals come in. Something I really loved about the first half of the song is that it feels like a big sing-along despite not being the most bombastic of tracks. I guess this has something to do with the melody that really hooks itself into your head. As we enter into the second half of the song there is a bridge that ups the tempo of the song and things seem to get a bit louder which ensures a big finale. Up next is We’ll Burn That Bridge When We Get To It which is an amazing song title. This is a slower, anthemic track that really showcases the full range of Adam’s voice. Personally I think he’s at his best when he’s at his most emotional. The song talks about working through your mental health problems and knowing that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. The simple drum beat that provides the backbone for the entire song somehow adds to the emotion that pours out of the song, something you don’t often hear. The final song is Rusted Friends. On this song Adam performs solo, which really adds to the emotion of the track. I’ve never seen Adam perform solo but I imagine it would be an emotional time. This is a love letter to the pals in bands who dedicate their lives to life on the road and the highs and lows of touring. A tour can be full of amazing moments but can also be hard physically and mentally. This is a song that’s equal parts sad and uplifting, Adam’s voice is sombre throughout but the message that comes through at the end is one of victory.

Four years is a long time to wait for new music but it really was worth it. Good Friend are one of the European punk scene’s best kept secrets. Fingers crossed we’ll be able to hang out this year when they tour with Red City Radio.

Stream and download The Erin Rose EP on Bandcamp here.

Like Good Friend on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

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.