Album Review: Groundhog Days by Clueless (by Ilse R. Smit)

Generally speaking, contributors get to pick which release we want to review – a pretty sweet deal. However, sometimes the release picks you and that can be the best thing. It really means a lot when an artist/band trusts you with their new material before it gets released, such an honour! I had the pleasure to receive and review the new Clueless record, Groundhog Days. Clueless is a Dutch power pop band from Enschede that has been around since 1999 with its members currently scattered across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Their new album has been in the making for a couple of years now and will finally emerge and not see its own shadow on April 1st (or whatever the tradition is). I hereby invite you to unleash your inner groundhog and burrow through this record with me.

The opener of the album is You Do The Talking. I love the energy, it sets you up for what is yet to come perfectly. I also love the little “whoo!” in the synth-heavy intro, those are so fun. Not unlike most of the other tracks on the record, you can’t get around the uplifting and lively sound of Clueless. The lyrics on the other hand are a lot darker and more vulnerable sounding, not wanting to be left alone with your thoughts, but made easily digestible by the easy-on-the-ears instrumentals and Tim ‘Voice of an angel’ van Doorn’s vocals. This guy can make a desperate plea to keep him company sound sweet and endearing. The lyric “My brain is my biggest enemy” hits HARD though! I especially like how the delivery of that lyric in the last verse contrasts with the pleasant sound of the rest of the song, perhaps signifying that the “battle for sanity” is not looking so good for him at that point.

The opener is followed by the track There’s A Schnitzel In My Pocket and I can’t write about/listen to this lyric without it making me laugh. This song sounds a tad heavier (also less synthy) and makes me think of confronting yourself with maybe not so healthy coping mechanisms, dealing with the fact that you’re getting older, making poor decisions under influence of poor mental health and/or substance abuse, suffering the consequences and not learning from your mistakes. The underlying weight of the lyrics do come through a little stronger compared to the first song, but is still (as the title suggests) very upbeat and fun to listen to.

Track three is called Something Loud. The synth is back, the intro could have been from a The Rocket song. All these songs have so many layers to them, you’ll keep noticing different things as you listen to them. The backing vocals/harmonies really stand out to me in this one. If I had the voice, I’d love to belt out the bridge (which feels more like an alternative chorus). I think the song tackles the feeling of a mismatch between your skills and expertise, the skills and abilities that are useful to assist someone in your life who needs help, and feeling useless for not being sure what you can do for them. However, I also think that this song can provide some comfort to anyone who listens to it, so there you have it!

We shift gears as we reach Bathroom Breaks, and we transition from the personal to the political and kick it up a notch while we’re at it. Speth’s drumming really stands out here, giving the track a skate-punk edge we haven’t heard thus far. Speaking of things we haven’t heard up until this point: the delivery of the second verse is razor sharp, as could be expected when Hans Roofthooft (F.O.D. and solo work) is generous enough to provide guest-vocals. Van Doorn’s and Roofhooft’s voices really complement each other, which manages to give the message of the song more gravitas. We see and know history is repeating itself. But rather than just observing the normalisation of harmful ideologies, what’s the plan?

The Answer Is Zero is the first song that nested itself in my brain as I first started listening to the album. The chorus is incredibly catchy and I love a gaming-reference (that I get). I’d say it’s a great feel-good/cheer-up track! It’s a well crafted reminder to not overthink as much as we do, and to try to come to terms with the fact that we make mistakes. There’s no point in (mentally) re-living a situation time and time again, and Clueless wants you to know it’s okay to just move on. Isn’t that lovely?

Doubting yourself? Imposter syndrome got you down? Put on Scapegoat and your worries will melt away instantly! I imagine this song being the embodiment of the sentiment expressed in Something Loud (comforting and supporting someone through art rather than helping with everyday tasks), although I’m fairly certain that doesn’t add up chronologically when looking at the writing process.

Ode To The Sun V2 manages to be both kind of sad and uplifting. The lyrics are clearly very heartfelt, coming from a place of grief and having started processing loss. Coming to terms with the anger-phase and its repercussions. That, even though it won’t be easy, there is beauty to be found in pain as well – a paper-thin silver lining if you will.

Time for the title track! It opens with a fragment of a certain Bill Murray-venture (no, it’s not Ghostbusters) and also happens to be the first song to be written for this release (coincidence? I think not!). The lead guitar really drives the intro forward, contrasting wonderfully with the harmonies in the intro. My favourite lyric is “You wonder what tomorrow brings, When it is you that does the grocery shopping”. It’s very easy to feel stuck, like you’re not moving forward, especially when you’re coping with grief or depression, and that’s very understandable! But eventually you are the one who’s in charge of what’s gonna happen next. The lyric seems kinda funny at first, because of how specific it is, but I think it’s a great metaphor!

If you somehow dozed off at this point, Timmy D & The Art Of Postponing is sure to be an attention-grabber. Short but sweet, and mostly FAST! There’s a lot happening there, which makes it an interesting (very repeatable) listen. And it’s relatable as hell. This is the soundtrack to not being able to get yourself to work when you have bunch of stuff *internal screaming*. Those familiar with Van Doorn’s other band(s), St. Plaster, will probably notice some hints of I Can Stop Anytime I Want – The Capitalist in there (he’s not being subtle, but I’m not mad about it).

If the intro of Too Far South gave you the impression that it was gonna be a slow song, you’ll soon find out that you are dead wrong. Its upbeat sound might not be a unique selling point, given the rest of the album, but this time the lyrics actually match the vibe! It’s all about daring to dream and give it a go! I love it when a lyricist is not afraid to paint an unflattering picture of themselves but my favourite lyric from the song goes to “One foot in the grave? Well the other’s gonna dance”. It makes a lot of sense to put this song on the second half of the album, a lovely change of pace lyrically.

Numb Skull (This One’s For You, Stephen Miller) was the first single to be released from the album and it’s a banger, a great choice! A proper punk rock track, giving the finger to all the Stephen Millers out there. All the pieces work perfectly together, always highlighting something without drowning out the vocals or guitars. It sounds edgy and smooth at the same time, which is my sweet spot. If that wasn’t enough, Clueless is joined by Perry Leenhouts (The Travoltas) in the second verse. Not unlike Roofthooft, Leenhouts has a very distinct voice and that really adds another layer to the track. Leenhouts also produced Clueless’s first album, and we love a full circle moment.

Ricochet is an interesting song because although it definitely belongs on the record, it’s unlike anything we’ve heard so far. Calming, like being at the beach, watching small waves roll onto the sand. The acoustic guitar plays a prominent role in this song, but in my opinion the real MVP are the pizzicato-style violin samples (a technique that uses string picking rather than the bow). That really makes it sound more whimsical and dreamy, it’s a very interesting instrumental technique that I don’t hear on a lot of punk rock records!

Favourite lyric: “Full color isn’t always right. The grey makes me able to sleep at night”
This lyric stood out to me because I feel like we tend to focus on our peaks, and while that is understandable, it would be way too intense and probably quite unfulfilling if our life would consist of highlights only. We may not always appreciate the grey days, but we sure need them to appreciate those full colour moments, or to just prevent ourselves from burning the F out.

The subject matter of Feed Me Distractions, given the context of the rest of the album, is fairly self explanatory in my opinion. I love the contrast between the verses (more frantic and faster) and the chorus, and the seamless transitions between them.

Favourite lyric: “Words are redundant but loudness is golden”. Perfectly describes the sentiment of the song. The distraction itself doesn’t matter, as long as it works and takes your mind off of whatever is consuming you. But in itself it also works on a different level as it makes me think of how we as a society seemingly prioritise the medium over the content in a general sense. Real deep stuff.

With this last song, Perspective’s The Keyword, I was very curious about the lyrics. Because on the first couple of listens (without having the lyrics in front of me), there were some instances where I was thinking: “wait, what are they trying to say here?”. As the title suggests, several perspectives are represented in the lyrics and catching that makes it a lot easier to interpret them. Not gonna lie, I’m having a pretty hard time writing about it because I have a complicated relationship with the subject. Like, I don’t know what the right way to deal with people that support racist traditions/beliefs is. Sometimes I feel like people try to humanise them a little too much. Like me just now, why did I not just call them “racists”? What good does it do to keep empathising with people that (indirectly) cause harm? While at the same time, I also believe that a significant portion of those people are just a product of their environment that up until recently never had anything or anyone challenge the way they (sub)consciously see the world, and lash out because they feel threatened by that.

I understand wanting to shut out any opinions that strongly contradict your own, while at the same time I don’t want “the other side” to do the same thing and bubble up as well. But I also don’t think it’s reasonable to expect people to “just have a conversation” with whoever defends racist (or any other -ist or -phobic) viewpoints or actions all the time, especially when they’re on the receiving end of those actions.

However, to get back to the song, I guess at the end of the day I do think it’s important to challenge yourself every now and then. To not (always) instantly dismiss people and to be aware that they indeed can change. What a way to close Groundhog Days.

This album, what a ride! If you made it this far, props to you, you’re a real one. Don’t let the length of this review scare you off! It’s not nearly as heavy as I make it look, it’s such an easy and fun listen. Those 39 minutes fly by! Daniël, Florian, Tim and Willem, you’ve all done an amazing job making a heartfelt, upbeat album that shows range, yet it has a very recognisable and incredible sound. Since the band won’t be performing live any day soon, come hang out with Tim van Doorn on April 1st at this Facebook-live event!

You can stream and download Groundhog Days on Bandcamp and most, if not all other streaming platforms. Like Tim van Doorn on Facebook here.

This review was written by Ilse R. Smit.

Album Review: The Homeless Gospel Choir / Teenage Halloween Split (by Emma Prew)

If you’re a regular reader of CPRW then you probably know that we love a split release! Often it’s a chance to discover a new artist, alongside one you already know and love. In this case, I am aware of both bands involved in this split but I’d say I’m more familiar with Teenage Halloween than The Homeless Gospel Choir. This gave me the perfect opportunity to check out more of The Homeless Gospel Choir – and the new tracks from Teenage Halloween, of course! The split was released on 1st January on Don Giovanni Records and here’s what I thought of it…

Each band has two songs on the split which, as far as I’m aware, are new tracks for both bands. First up is The Homeless Gospel Choir. THGC are a raucous protest-punk band from Pittsburgh, PA, who have evolved from the solo project of Derek Zanetti to a five-piece band. Track number one, Harrisburg Shoes, wastes no time in getting started with a huge-sounding combination of warm guitar tones to welcome the listener to the split. My immediate impression of the track is that it sounds a lot less ‘folk punk’ than I was expecting but, as much as I do love my folk punk, that’s certainly not a bad thing. The guitars are wonderfully melodic and give the song a positive feeling – something I think we can all appreciate at the start of a new year – although THGS’s lyrics are notoriously not so optimistic. The second track from the band is called Pittsburgh Shoes (I’m not sure why there’s shoe theme) and it opens with the slightly bleak but relatable line of ‘It feels like it’s just you, sitting in your room, and everyday just feels the same, your friends quit calling you.’. The first verse starts slowly with the instruments taking a backseat to Derek’s pessimistic lyricism but things start to amp up as we head further into the song with plenty of distorted and fuzzy guitars soon injecting some energy into the song. The track has got that slightly raw quality to it that I’m familiar with from when I’ve previously listened to THGC. Towards the end there are also kazoos. Yes, you read that correctly. Kazoos! More kazoos in 2022, please!

Teenage Halloween take on the second half of the split. The band, who are a six-piece power-pop/indie punk band from Asbury Park, NJ, released their debut full-length in 2020 and it was on repeat an awful lot for me at the start of 2021 (it took me a few months to actually get around to listening to it – sorry!). The album featured ten passionately poppy and energetic tracks about mental health and queer struggles and the new tracks on this split continue in a similar vein but bring with them a breath of fresh air. Floating is up first and initially opens with the jangling of keys before immediately plunging us into an upbeat and catchy pop punk track. It’s a short and fairly fast-paced song that features a great exchanging of vocals between Luke and Tricia come the chorus. The layered vocals and harmonies is definitely one of my favourite things about Teenage Halloween’s music so it’s great to hear it again here. The last song on the split is called Burn. Tricia takes over on lead vocal duties here for what is probably the stand-out track of the whole EP – which is saying something because everything on this split is great. Much like the previous track, Burn is upbeat and energetic but it also feels kind of erratic, I think mostly due to the jazzy keyboard playing. Either way, I love it. The track also happens to be the perfect fist-in-the-air cathartic protest song. You only have to read the lyrics for the chorus – ‘I don’t want your empty promise, I don’t want your easy fix, I want to burn the city down, And rise from the ashes.’ – to get an idea of what makes this song so great. Alternatively, you could listen to it yourself!

Stream and download The Homeless Gospel Choir / Teenage Halloween on Bandcamp here. You can also pre-order the limited edition yellow vinyl there, which looks very nice (artwork by Maura Weaver, of THGC).

Like The Homeless Gospel Choir on Facebook here and like Teenage Halloween on Facebook here.

The Homeless Gospel Choir are touring the UK in the summer which I’m very much looking forward to. Hopefully I will be able to see Teenage Halloween live as well, somewhere down the line!

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Swim Out Past The Breakers by Telethon (by Emma Prew)

When I first heard Telethon and their fourth album, Hard Pop, in 2019 I was completely blown away by their ability to embrace multiple genres flawlessly and create an LP that could quite succinctly be described as ‘epic’. And that was before I had even listened to their previous album – the 30-track, five-part ‘rock opera’ The Grand Spontanean! Telethon are certainly not afraid of doing things a little differently and so I shouldn’t have been even a little surprised when I heard their 2021 album, Swim Out Past The Breakers, for this first time… and yet, wow, they surpassed any expectations I had several times over.

Telethon are a five-piece from Wisconsin consisting of Kevin Tully (lyrics, vocals, rhythm guitar), Erik Atwell (percussion), Alex Meylink (bass), Gene Jacket (keys) and Jack Sibilski (lead guitar). However, on Swim Out Past The Breakers the band are joined by a huge array of guest vocalists and musicians, from Franz Nicolay (The Hold Steady) and Kailynn West (Tiny Stills) to Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) and Devon Kay (Direct Hit, Devon Kay & The Solutions), plus many, many more. You might think that this would be overkill for a ‘punk’ album and leave things sounding disjointed but, if anything, I think it ties the album together in a truly unique way. There is so much going on throughout the 48 minute / 16 track duration of this album that it feels like there’s always something new to discover each and every time I listen to it. And I have listened to this album a lot over the past two months or so since its release.

As I write this, it is Fest weekend and if things had turned out a little differently I would be eagerly counting down the hours until I get to see Telethon live for the first time. Alas, I have to wait another year – hopefully they will play next year as well! So, instead of watching them playing live, I felt it was time that I put my [metaphorical] pen to paper and attempt to review their fifth musical masterpiece.

From the opening track, Shit (Jansport), featuring the aforementioned Franz Nicolay and Kailynn West, which grows from a gentle and soothing to a relentlessly fast-paced power-pop banger in no time at all – with a smattering of polka (I know, what?!) thrown in for good measure – all the way through to the rhythmic and dance-inducing indie punk-style album closer Matrix (One Down At Least), featuring Chris Farren, I feel like there is truly something for everyone on this album.

For pop punk fans, there are plenty of short, bouncy and super catchy tracks on Swim Out Past The Breakers such as Outstandingly (The Riviera) (which even features a Blink 182 reference before diverging into a polka-punk breakdown), Panorama (The Polynesian) (a track that features a sublime combination of glockenspiel-like percussion instrumentation, horns and gang vocals) and the less than a minute long Worm Dirt (perhaps one of the most simple songs on the album which for Telethon still means there’s a fair amount going on). If lengthier, layered, steady building tracks are more your thing then Do You Know What I Mean (Or Not?), featuring Robb Maclean, or House Of The Future, Pt. 4 will certainly not disappoint.

My personal favourite tracks on the album come in as a double whammy at tracks number 10 and 11. The first is Americana fuelled anthem Positively Clark Street which features some skilful synth work from Gene Jacket as well as well-suited guest vocals from Gary Louris of The Jayhawks. This was the one track on the album that I instantly felt the need to recommend to my dad. And that was before I realised who the guest vocals were from – it made a lot more sense when I realised the track featured a member of one of my dad’s favourite bands! In a way that only Telethon can, they completely shake things up with the next track. Cyan does not have even a slight hint of Americana or country music to its sound, instead this is ridiculously catchy ska punk number that seems to be mostly about writing work-based emails. Cyan features guest vocals from Devon Kay which, obviously, are absolutely perfect for the song.

Telethon released a fair few singles from Swim Out Past The Breakers in the run up to its release and, in my opinion, these sounds even better in their respective places in the album’s track list. Self-starter A.E., Checker Drive, the previously discussed Positively Clark Street and Travelator each seem to take on a new lease of life in the full album setting. The songs are also well spread out through the LP so that on your first listen it doesn’t feel like you’ve already heard a continuous chunk of the album before. I’m not sure if that was a conscious decision but I certainly appreciate it.

I can’t even begin to imagine how many hours and just how much effort and care Telethon, and all others involved in Swim Out Past The Breakers, have put into creating this album. All I can say as a listener and fan of the band is that I’m thankful that they persevered with it. Swim Out Past The Breakers is stunning and deserves to be heard by all in the punk scene and beyond. This band is special. This album is quite possibly my album of the year. Go check it out!

Stream and download Swim Out Past The Breakers on Bandcamp here.

Like Telethon on Facebook here.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Attempts At Understanding by Animal Byproducts (by Emma Prew)

Animal Byproducts are a Manchester-based power pop meets folk punk foursome who describe themselves as ‘placid pals peddling patriarchy-poking park punk’ – and I just had to quote that for its excellent alliteration. At the beginning of February the band released a brand new EP titled Attempts At Understanding and I immediately knew this was something I wanted to review.

The first of four tracks on Attempts At Understanding is titled Bin Day and it opens with a wonderful crescendo of brass instruments and gentle guitar strumming. Before too long, the vocals come in with the wise words ‘Please don’t forget that it’s your bin day’. I can’t say that I recall ever listening to any other song that reminds me to put the bins out – and I was literally singing this to myself the other day before putting the bin out – so Animal Byproducts definitely get points for originality here. Of course, the song is not strictly just about your household rubbish, it’s about much more than that. Racists? Homophobes? People that say ‘It wasn’t like this back in my day’? They can all get in the bin. Next up is There Are Dozens Of Us! and the band don’t waste any time in getting going with this track. It’s upbeat and catchy from the outset with a superb chorus that unashamedly denies gender roles and stereotypes (‘Do I undermine your solid gender roles? Or are we all just assortments of holes?’) complete with some simply delightful power pop style backing harmonies in the second verse and a trumpet solo later on. It’s hard to pick but this might be my favourite of the four songs on the EP.

Obscene is the name of the third track on Attempts At Understanding and it opens with a melodic guitar riff that will have you bopping your head along in no time at all. When the drums come in the beat is more firmly set and it carries the song nicely through the first verse – which gave me real Chas Palmer-Williams (of Lightyear, but I mean his solo stuff more so) vibes, by the way – and into an epic sounding second verse. The trumpet really is the star of the show in this song and, as someone who is more traditionally a fan of banjo or harmonica in folk punk, it really makes me excited to listen to more tunes with trumpet parts that aren’t so obviously placed as in, for example, ska punk – if that makes any sense. The last song on the EP is Tavistock Square. Another track that doesn’t hang around, this song ensures that Attempts At Understanding ends with an energetic burst. At first I thought the lyrics were quite erratic, with talk of Gandhi, Alan Turing and the bombing of Hiroshima all in a single verse, but I’ve since read about Tavistock Square (in Bloomsbury, London) on Wikipedia and the lyrics make a whole lot more sense! The song looks at all the memories that can become assigned to and associated with a certain place, as well as reflecting on the peace that can be found in a specific location that you yourself hold fond memories of. ‘So the next time you see me in Tavistock Square, Please help me look for the peace that I found there.’

If you’re not already familiar with Animal Byproducts but like bands such as ONSIND and Toodles & The Hectic Pity then you definitely need to check out this EP.

You can stream and download Attempts At Understanding on Bandcamp and like Animal Byproducts on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Blame Game by Beach Bunny (by Emma Prew)

Beach Bunny are an emotional indie rock meets power pop band from Chicago, Illinois, who, until coming to write this review, I didn’t realise were quite as ‘big’ as they are – they have their own Wikipedia page and over 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify! The band started out as the bedroom-based solo project of Lili Trifilio in 2015 and, after releasing a number of solo EPs, the band expanded to a four-piece. In February 2020 – on Valentine’s Day no less – the band released their debut album on Mom + Pop Music, Honeymoon, which was highly rated not just in indie rock circles. It was not long after this that I discovered the band and Honeymoon was on regular rotation for me throughout the Spring last year.

At the beginning of this year, 15th January to be precise, the band released a new four-track EP titled Blame Game. I must have missed the initial release of the EP as it’s now early February (at the time of writing this) and I’ve only just checked it out thanks to one of the songs popping up on my Spotify Release Radar but I am absolutely loving these four new songs.

First up on Blame Game is Good Girls (Don’t Get Used). Lili’s vocals take centre stage right away with the rhyme of ‘Say you miss me, Say you wanna kiss me’ immediately grabbing the listener’s attention. It’s a catchy tune from the outset and is oozing in feel-good vibes as Lili sings of being fed up of being messed around by a guy and saying that enough is enough. Rather than being a woe-is-me tale of heartbreak – something that I feel a lot of the tracks on Honeymoon could be described as – this is an empowering anthem that declares ‘I don’t need people like you in my life and I’m going to be just fine without you’. Love Sick is the name of the second track on Blame Game and it opens with a brilliantly infectious indie-style guitar riff that instantly has me grooving in my seat. You might think from the title of the song that Love Sick is about pining over someone but it’s actually more about being sick of love and the pressures to be ‘in love’ for a young twenty something year old woman – ‘Sick of love, I’m tired of the bullshit, Fed up with subtracting names, Need someone that isn’t an equation, Only adding up to pain.’

There’s a feeling of bitterness seething underneath the opening lines of third track, Nice Guys. After starting out fairly slowly and stripped back for the first few lines of the song, it’s not long before some crunchy guitars and pounding drums come in and build up to a hard-hitting chorus. Lili displays some of her finest lyrical work thus far with ‘I’m sick of nice guys, I want someone who actually wears hearts inside their eyes, And isn’t only interеsted in what's between my thighs, You win me likе a trophy, not a consolation prize.’ The track is a fuck you to so-called ‘nice guys’ who are far from as genuine as they seem. Bringing the EP to a close is its powerful title track, Blame Game. Musically it’s a fairly slow-paced and pleasantly melodic tune but it was the lyrics of the track that really made me stop what I was doing and pay attention when I first heard this song. Blame Game is about how people often try to justify sexual assault by saying things like ‘they were asking for it’ because of how they were dressed. The ‘blame’ is shifted to the person who has been assaulted rather than the actual abuser – ‘Guess it’s my fault my body’s fun to stare at, Sorry my clothes can’t keep your hands from grabbing, Yeah, it’s my problem, I’m asking for it, Guess you’re the victim and I’m the suspect’. It’s crazy that in 2021 this is still a problem and songs like this are needed. As Lili says, we should ‘Teach them why they shouldn’t do this, Instead of telling us [women] to hide.’

Although I enjoyed Honeymoon a lot at the time, this feels like a leap forward in terms of Lili Trifilio’s songwriting, as well as the subject matter she’s writing about. The songs feel more mature and, I guess being a good few years older than her myself, I feel like I can relate to these songs more so than the band’s previous material. With Blame Game, I feel like Beach Bunny have gone from adolescent heartache and superficial insecurities to really taking charge of their identity. These songs are passionately defiant and are the perfect combination of catchy indie punk melodies and lyrics with plenty of bite. If this EP is anything to go by, the next full-length Beach Bunny record is really going to pack a punch and I cannot wait to hear it.

You can stream and download Blame Game on Bandcamp and like Beach Bunny on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Driving by Bashful

Driving by Bashful is one of my favourite releases of 2020 but yet I never got around to reviewing it until now. Released in February on Low Risk Records, it’s a ten tracks in twenty-one minutes pop punk gem of an album.

It begins with the song Boston Shitter. This will most likely be your first listen of Bashful (unless you picked up our Hidden Gems comp) and they showcase what they’re all about brilliantly here. It’s an uptempo track that’s packed with melody and lots of opportunities to sing along. Jake Guralnik’s vocals have plenty of passion behind them that really help you to invest in the song and the album early. Up next is Song, Too. It’s clear, after just two songs, that Bashful have a great knack for writing a catchy chorus and they’re not shy about getting there quickly. Musically the song doesn’t stray far from the standard pop punk formula but, when the song is so fun to sing along to, this really doesn’t matter. Lightheaded reminded me of The Ergs when I first listened to it. I love The Ergs so this pleased me no end. There’s a slight twang in Jake’s voice that really had me thinking of Mikey Erg. I believe the song is about being on a bad trip and not enjoying how it’s making you feel. (Please correct me if that’s wrong). This is the first time that gang vocals are used during the choruses and it’s a great addition.

The album’s title track, Driving, comes next. Slowing things down slightly, there’s an indie punk vibe about this song. If you know the London based band Great Cynics, think in that direction. The slower tempo allows for a bit more depth musically. Drummer Alex Wilhelm squeezes in some sweet fills throughout the track, really showing off his skill. This skill is also shown during the short introduction to Impossible. Bringing the tempo back up very quickly, this is Bashful at their very best. Buzzing guitars, rapid fire lyrics and yet another chorus that will glue itself in your mind. The track is about realising that you’ve not been a good person to be around and promising to do better in the future. The sixth song is titled Running. Slowing things back down, Running is a power-pop track that features some sweet harmonies. The song is about dealing with anger issues and just being fed up with always feeling angry at the world. Fun? was the track that appearing on our Hidden Gems compilation. Tonally this is a fun and breezy listen but when you dig into the lyrics it’s a sad song about not enjoying your current situation and wanting to be all by yourself.

Us is about trying to move forward with your life whilst attempting to block out and escape the past. This is a song that I’m sure many people will relate with. We’ve all got things that have happened in our past that continue to haunt us into our adulthood. This song about self-realisation feels more uplifting than some of the other tracks and is treated as such with the upbeat nature of the music. The penultimate song on Driving is named Overreact. Starting out with some “whoa-ohs”, it welcomes you in immediately and will get a live crowd involved from the outset. The song shifts tempo and melodies throughout, keeping it sounding fresh and showing another page of the Bashful trick book so late in the album. The album is finished with On My Way Out. The only song on Driving to go over three minutes, this really allowed Bashful time to let loose with some extra guitar solos and drum fills. The song looks at what it’s like to feel like you’re about to have a breakdown but trying keep things together as best you can. Something else I’m sure most of us have had to deal with at some point or another.

As I said in the introduction, Driving is just ten songs in twenty-one minutes but what a fantastic twenty-one minutes it is. It’s hard to make pop punk sound fresh and new in 2020 but Bashful have done a magnificent job of this. Definitely a band you need to be keeping an eye on.

Stream and download Driving on Bandcamp here.

Like Bashful on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Bad Luck by Answering Machine (by Emma Prew)

Answering Machine are a five-piece powerpop meets rock ’n’ roll punk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 2016 by Samantha (vocals) and JD (guitar and vocals) – who are also school teachers – alongside Jackson (guitar), Craig (bass) and Louis (drums), Answering Machine have a couple of EPs under their belts and have just released their debut full-length. The album, titled Bad Luck, was released on 17th April on the ever excellent Wiretap Records. We were actually lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the album but, unfortunately, COVID-19 got in the way and has delayed publication of this review until after the album’s release. This just means that you can actually go away yourself and listen to Bad Luck right now, however! Or you can read my review first…

Bad Luck kicks off with Riverdale and immediately sets the tone for what to expect from a full-length Answering Machine release. There are jangly guitars a’plenty and blissful dual vocals from JD and Samantha which are perfectly layered over one another, then topped off with some subtle backing ooohs. I had instant Tom Petty vibes when listening to this song which was not something I necessarily expected from a punk band but, on closer inspection of the album’s press release, Petty is in fact noted as an influence. ‘I’ve got one last regret, Tonight I pay my debt, Whatever it takes, To survive.’ The album’s title track and lead single, which was released last year, is up next – Bad Luck. Here we have big melodic guitars from the outset playing an oh-so-catchy riff. It’s not all about the guitars though, as the rhythm section really hold the track together. And, of course, there’s Samantha’s incredible voice. Bad Luck is the perfect mid-tempo pop song, complete with a catchy chorus. A particular highlight of the song is the bass breakdown in the bridge which is accompanied by some more of those lovely ooohs.

Without even hearing the third song, Bubblegum, its title suggests pop and… well, that’s exactly what we get. The Ramones influence is clear here, not least with the repetitive lyrics – JD sings ‘Give me, give me, give me, give me bubblegum’ while Samantha echoes ‘Give me, give me…’. It’s simple yet effective and sure is a lot of fun. Chugging guitars, a bouncy bass line and firm drums help Answering Machine deliver an infectious pop song that doesn’t fail to put a smile on your face. Hollywood Smog is the title of the fourth song. This song has a slower pace and muted instrumentation to start with, which allow us to focus on Samantha’s voice – ‘My head is filled up, Filled up with Hollywood smog.’ As the song progresses, the softer vocals from Samantha remain but the instruments pack a punch – what a wonderful contrast this is. Next up is This Year. The pace is upped here for an energetic pop punk song. From the excellent opening lyrics – ‘Spent the first day of this year, Shivering on my bathroom floor, I don’t want to do this anymore. Spent the last day of this year, Doing shots of whiskey with my friends, I’m not good at learning.’ – through to an instrumental breakdown towards the end of the song, this is a banger. It’s also one that I’m sure we can all relate to. This Year is about wanting to change your ways and learn from your mistakes, but repeating the same things you did last year. One of the real highlights of the album for sure.

The latest single, Cherry Coke, opens up the second half of the album. The song is as sugary sweet as its title suggests with more of those wonderful jangly guitars bringing an easy-going, summertime feel to the track. JD has said that Cherry Coke “[Is] for all the old folks who want to settle down but still have some fun. This one’s inspired by a love of Buddy Holly, 60s pop music, and The Ramones.” and you can definitely hear that in the song. I mean that both musically and with lines like ‘Yesterday is another day so we can sort it out.’ Marie takes a slightly different turn musically, at least to start with. Fuzzy stop-start guitars and a drum roll kick off the song which sound immense – in the best way. Soon enough, the vocals come to the forefront alongside a firm bass line. As reflected in the line ‘You’ve got seven ways to tell your story, Seven faces like your own.’, the song does feel like a story and is a joy to follow. Marie also features another short instrumental breakdown towards the end of the song, showing off the fine musicianship of each band member.

Track number eight, Wet Blanket, has quite a hard-hitting opening. This feeling is retained, although somewhat more subtly, when the vocals come in with lines like ‘I’ve got these violent fantasies, Sometimes they get ahold of me‘. Think of a punchy almost bluesy bass line and big rock ’n’ rolling guitars and you’ll be somewhere along the lines of Wet Blanket. There are also more of those lovely backing vocal harmonies that we love so much – JD and Samantha do a wonderful job of backing each other up throughout the album when one or the other takes the lead. The penultimate track of Bad Luck is called Water Signs. This song has a slower pace to begin with but when the vocals come in they drive the song forward and are accompanied by a super catchy, danceable guitar and bass parts – just try not nodding your head or tapping your toes along to this one, you won’t be able to sit still. The melody reminds me of something but I can’t quite put my finger on it. (Let me know if you can figure out what it is!) The final song on the album is Someplace. I was very surprised to hear harmonica and (I think) acoustic guitar for this last song. It was completely unexpected but I instantly loved it so much – honestly, this might be my favourite song on the album. Someplace has an entirely different sound and feel to everything else on the album but works really well as a closing track. I particularly enjoyed how JD and Samantha each had their own verses, while coming together for the chorus – ‘Always searching for someplace…’. A beautiful ending to one of the best powerpop albums you’ll hear this year.

Answering Machine have provided something for everyone on Bad Luck, whether you’re a rock ’n’ roller or a cheery pop fan, they have you covered. They even included harmonica if, like me, that’s something you think doesn’t feature enough in punk rock. We all need something to brighten up our days at the moment – well, most of the time really, but right now especially – and I think that this album is perfect for that. So put on those sunglasses*, kick back and enjoy half an hour of pop songs – you deserve it.

*You can wear sunglasses in your house or in your garden – no need to go further afield. STAY HOME.

You can stream and download Bad Luck on Bandcamp here and like Answering Machine on Facebook here.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: The Deadbeat Bang Of Heartbreak City by Beach Slang (by Chris Bishton)

If you'd told me in 2014, after the release of the Cheap Thrills / Who Would Ever EPs, and then their debut LP, Philly punks Beach Slang would be releasing their third album in the second week of 2020, I'd have already marked it down as a potential record of the year. Fast forward five years, two full albums, an acoustic album and multiple line-up changes later, the excitement of hearing those early releases seems a long time ago, to the extent that I very nearly didn't pre-order this new record.

Their second album was released very quickly after their first and, for me, always lacked that raw kick of the earlier stuff. Then, over the the last few years, the band seem to have increasingly become the James Alex Experience – the lead singer and one remaining and original member. Indeed, the artwork on the front cover of this new record is just a picture of him, complete with the familiar knees bent, head thrown back pose wearing his trademark tux and bow tie combo. It's a very cool picture, but leaves you in no doubt this is very much James's record.

Also, whenever I saw them live more recently, they were good, but I missed the days of JP, Ruben and latterly Ed being in the band. Their sound had shifted from the early punk that first attracted me, to a more rock n roll, emo-tinged tone – something I like, but I don't always love. And they also seemed to take a step back from the punk scene itself, choosing to tour as a support band to the likes of Jimmy Eat World and The Goo Goo Dolls.

Yet, despite all of these reasons for me not to get this new record, eventually I just thought, 'hey it's Beach Slang. I've got to order this!'

The album starts with All The Kids In LA. The classical intro quickly gives way to the feedback and crashing guitar and drums I love the band for with the start of the record's second, and one of the stand out tracks, Let It Ride. It's familiar Beach Slang – husky vocals with poetic lyrics coupled with the hooks and fast guitar. It's a strong start to the album.

The third song is Bam Rang Rang and is the song that was released online last year before the whole album. It didn't grab me then and it doesn't now, but if you like the song Atom Bomb from their second album this is pretty much a carbon copy.

James has never made any secret of his influences and love of bands such as Jawbreaker, Hüsker Dü and particularly The Replacements. It's impossible to read an interview with him without him mentioning his love of all things Mats-based at some point. Their last single was a double A-sided cover of Bob Mould and Paul Westerberg and, indeed, like his heroes, the band even broke up whilst on stage a few years ago. On the fourth track, Tommy in the 80s, they've gone one step further than trying to sound like The Replacements by getting Tommy Stinson to actually play bass on it as well (the song isn't about Stinson, rather Tommy Keene, another of James's heroes who passed away a couple of years ago). It sounds exactly how imagine James wants it to sound like – The Replacements power-popped up to the max and I kind of love him and the song for that.

At this point in the record we then find two new acoustic tracks next to each other. Don't get me wrong, I love striped down, acoustic punk, but we had a whole album of it from Quiet Slang recently and I don't want to hear this on a new, full band album now. Nobody Say Nothing and Nowhere Bus are both beautiful songs that merge into each other, but they feel out of place here and I'm left unsure as to why they've been included on this record.

Stiff, Born To Raise Hell and Sticky Thumbs all follow – all solid tracks, but none that instantly grab me.

The penultimate track is Kicking Over Bottles, which is probably my favourite on the album. We're back to the fast, power guitars but with the addition of horns that I'm sure will prove to be a popular live track.

It concludes with Bar No One, another beautiful acoustic track that's seven minutes long. But whilst I've no problem concluding an album with a track like this, I now can't help wondering why four of the 11 tracks on this album are now acoustic songs.

There's no doubt The Deadbeat Bang Of Heartbreak City is an album that's been crafted by a passionate musician. James wears his heart on his sleeve to the extent that his soft, often flowery trope-laden language has come in for some stick, which is really not cool. But it does mean the familiar James Alex lyrics and themes referencing young angst, love, knock backs, starry dreams and self doubt all come through. It also means that I'm sure the Hard Luck Kids will love this album, but it is far more reminiscent of A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings than their early stuff. So if you see those early EPs and The Things We Do album as their high water mark, and you're looking for any repeat of that sound, this record will not be for you.

But, it's catchy enough in parts and so if you're into The Replacements power-pop sound you should give it a chance. I doubt James Alex's catalogue of work is going to be remembered like Paul Westerberg's, but that shouldn't be a reason not to take this album for what it is – enjoyable, nostalgic, rock and roll, power-pop.

Stream and download The Deadbeat Bang Of Heartbreak City here.

Like Beach Slang here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.