Album Review: Successfully Not Giving Up by Captain Asshole

If I’ve spoken to you about any one band over the past three years, there’s a very high chance that it’s Germany’s Captain Asshole. I first discovered them after they sent me their debut album, What An Awful Life, for me to check out. I instantly fell in love with the band and have been championing them to anyone who will listen ever since. Earlier this year the band released their second album, Successfully Not Giving Up, with the support of SBÄM Records and Say-10 Records.

Now whenever a band release a follow up to an album I absolutely adore, there’s always the worry of disappointment. Will they capture the same magic of what came before? Will they rest on their laurels and phone an album in? Will it click with me in the same way? These are all thoughts that ran through my head when I heard about this release. Happily, Captain Asshole seem to write songs that are completely tailored to my own personal pop punk tastes. Gruff vocals, big choruses, loads of energy and gang vocals galore. As soon as I heard the first single, Dave Lizewski, I knew I didn’t need to worry – this was going to be another special release.

Successfully Not Giving Up begins with the first single, Dave Lizewski. In true Captain Asshole style the song and the album kicks off with a big gang vocal opening. I speak about gang vocals a lot on the various CPRW platforms and how much I love them, but have I ever mentioned why? It’s the way that they make a song feel more inclusive for everyone. Kicking the song/album off with them instantly made me feel involved and I love that very much. After the opening chorus, the tempo jumps up and Manu’s vocals come in on the opening verse. As ever, he’s not alone as Max adds his own vocals giving the song a huge sound. There’s a huge feeling of positivity throughout the song, as the band sing about it being okay to feel different and to keep on pushing forward towards your dreams. Max starts the second song, The Sleepwalking Dead. This song has more of an extended introduction before Max jumps in and is quickly followed by Manu. I already love how the pair are sharing vocals so much. The energy is special and it gives me the goosebumps. The song is about plodding away through your life and feeling stuck in a rut. The song finishes with another classic Captain Asshole trope, the slow building finale with the big gang vocals and harmonies. Can’t wait to sing along with this bit next time I get to see them. The third track is titled Boy, I’m Homesick. On this song the band talk about remembering times past and realising how things haven’t changed for the better. This was one of the songs that was picked as a single before Successfully Not Giving Up was released. It’s clear why this was, as the song showcases all of what the band are about. If you’re a first time listener of the band it welcomes you in perfectly and is probably really relatable.

Ghost In A Nutshell (possibly the best title on the album) is a song all about bettering yourself. On the track Manu talks about looking at his life, particularly at the times where he’s been at his lowest, and attempting to bring himself back from the edge. This is a more serious feeling song than I’m used to hearing from the band and it’s great to see them expanding their songwriting topics like this. The band seem to resist adding all the gang vocals to the song which gives it a much more personal feeling. When the rest of the band do join Manu on vocals the song gets a cathartic feeling which adds a fantastic new layer to the track. The fifth song, Crushing High Lifes, brings the tempo way back up. The band talk about how quickly you can be brought back down to earth after experiencing a massive high, something we all go through from time to time. This is another song that is pure energy. I loved the opening guitar part, it’s a bit more riffy than previous Captain Asshole songs and it’s a great, if not a bit too subtle, addition to the song. It proves that the band are a lot more than experts and choruses, there’s excellent musicianship in here as well. Bringing the first half of the album to a close is You’ve Smashed The Window With Your Head Fred. The opening of the song has this big building segment that eases you into the song before Manu’s vocals eventually come in. This is one of the slower songs on the album but it still packs plenty of punch. This song looks at the need to keep going to gigs as you’re getting older and questioning why you’re still doing it. It’s the great moments you experience and the wanting to do it all over again and again. For anyone in their mid 30s and older, this is a song you will probably relate with a lot.

The second half of the album starts with Better Broken. Here Captain Asshole sing about trying to make your way through life despite all the hardships that may befall you. It’s about learning to exist and be your best even when things feel like they are at their worst. I really enjoy the switch in intensity that happens between the verse and the chorus. There’s a contrast but they also manage to bleed effortlessly into each other. I really love the chorus “it’s hard to walk with broken legs, It’s hard to think with fucked up brains, hard to forget and hard to love, it’s hard to live with a broken heart.” What a great chorus! Apocalypse Whenever was another single released in the build up to Successfully Not Giving Up’s release. The band put out an outstanding video for it that I seriously suggest you check out. Once again, this is an archetypal Captain Asshole song and another perfect choice for a single. Big chorus: check. Endless energy: check. Gang vocals: check. Harmonies: check! The production on the track makes it sound huge and it’s a song that’s begging to be played as loudly as possible. The song is about the planet coming to an impending doom and people’s ignorance to it. Despite the doom that is approaching, the band leave the song with a positive message about still believing and fighting the good fight until the very end. I agree with this statement. The ninth song is titled The One With Unagi. This track has an intense beginning, with no intro we are just greeted by Manu’s vocals shouting “drink down the weight of another year, it’s been a while for you and me”. This song is about meeting up with old acquaintances and trying to force a friendship that isn’t there anymore. As people grow older, they change and turn into different people than who they were when they were younger. I really like this as a song topic, I don’t feel like it’s one that’s really covered much despite everyone going through it at some point. Max and Manu take turns on the verses and combine for the choruses. It feels as if each of them is playing the role of old friends at the bar and we’re hearing their inner monologue throughout the song. This is such good songwriting.

Home Alone II is up next. Home Alone was one of my favourites off of debut album, What An Awful Life, so when I saw the song title my interest really peaked. I’ve heard plenty of songs about the lockdowns that happened in 2020 and 2021 and this is among the better ones. Max and Manu sing about their experiences during this time and talk about the feelings of isolation that they felt and how they coped during these difficult times. There’s an all around darker tone to the song, it makes me think about a metaphoric cloud that seemed to follow everyone around in this understandably difficult time in our lives. Max and Manu do such a good job (arguably too good a job if you want to forget all about it) of painting a picture of what it was like at the time. The penultimate song on Successfully Not Giving Up is Good News, Everyone. This song is all about growing up and taking a different path to your friends. The majority of people reading this will have seen their friends take different paths to you and you will probably have doubted your own life choices. Don’t do that. Everyone lives their lives differently and that’s completely fine. Live your dream. That’s the message I get from the song and I found it uplifting. The final track on the album is Post Malört. I think it’s now law for Captain Asshole to have a song on each album that mentions their beloved The Fest in Gainesville. On What An Awful Life they had Holiday Inn now they have Post Malört. It’s about finding a place in the world where you find comfort and feel like you belong. On this occasion it’s at The Fest but I’m sure we’ve all got our special festivals and venues where the whole world feels right and you’re completely at ease. This is an ode to those amazing spaces that give us so much.

Successfully Not Giving Up is another amazing album from Captain Asshole. In my eyes, theses folk can do no wrong. They’ve managed to keep hold of everything I loved from their previous album and have still found a way of evolving and progressing their sound. This album feels more contained and succinct than What An Awful Life, with every song heading in the same direction. It gives the album a more intimate feel but also explodes with sound throughout. A true album of the year contender. I cannot wait to see these songs, as well as all my other favourites, at least two times this year. I am hoping for more though. Do not sleep on Captain Asshole. They’re the real deal.

Stream and download Successfully Not Giving Up on Bandcamp.

Like Captain Asshole on Facebook.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Crepuscolo Dorato Della Bruschetta… by Snuff (by Chris Bishton)

Snuff are back. Crepuscolo Dorato Della Bruschetta Borsetta Calzetta Cacchetta Trombetta Lambretta Giallo Ossido, Ooooooh Così Magnifico! (yes, seriously) is the latest from the UK punk powerhouse and, given all the difficulties that have come with writing, rehearsing and recording over the last couple of years, it comes relatively quickly following 2019's Fat Wreck released There's A Lot Of It About.

If you don't know the band, which I doubt but I guess it's possible, they've been almost constant mainstays in the UK punk scene for over 30 years. There's been inevitable line-up changes, side projects and mini-breaks over that time and the band stripped back to a three-piece to write this new album, but Duncan Redmonds remains perpetual, meaning not only do you know what to expect, you also know you're going to get a banger.

With 10 tracks, it's not the longest and only one of these tracks lasts more than three minutes, but what you get is a snappy 25 minutes or so of that instantly familiar Snuff sound. There's harmonies, singalongs and very distinct vocals galore. The expected horns, trombones and organ are all in there as well. Listen to it from start to finish and I think most will also agree having just 10 tracks is to the record's benefit – there's very little need for any skips here.

 
The first track is Looks Alright From Here. The opening few seconds start with the guitars, followed by drums and then cymbals before Duncan's frantic and unmistakable vocals kick in. It's the way all good Snuff albums start. Vintage stuff.

Green Grass Chippings is next. I think it had been pre-released as an online single, but I hadn't actually caught it before. It's one of my favourites on the album – absurdly catchy vocals – but not quite as the brilliant One Of Those Days which follows and is the best song on the album. Fish 'N' Chips then reminds me further of their very indisputable sound. You can't hear this and wonder 'who are this band?' and 'where are they from?' – patently Snuff and obviously British.

 
Snuff being Snuff also can't resist a cover and there's a classic here with their take on Curtis Mayfield's Hard Times. The band themselves refer to their sound as "Motown Punk" and this is as good a cover as they've done. In fact, when you listen to the whole album on repeat you'll hear Motown references and sounds all over the place.

Barba Gelata then starts with the sound of a British ice cream van before a three minute instrumental. It's the only song that feels a bit out of place, but I'm sure that's more me than most.

 
Lemon Curd gets me back on track before being followed by Stolen From View and Small F; all solid tracks before it finishes with Bing Bing – a Snuff catchphrase and a feel good song, the mid-pace of which winds the album down nicely.

 
This Snuff release probably won't rank as many people's favourite, but why should it? A band with this much back catalogue can't put out better and better records indefinitely and it's right that everyone should have their own personal best. But, it's fast, harmonic, raucous and distinctly Snuff and I love it for that.

The album is available on the band's own 10 Past 12 Records and Austria's SBÄM Records.

You can stream and download the album on Bandcamp and like Snuff on Facebook.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Isolation by After The Fall (by Brett Coomer)

I was a little concerned that after waiting for what felt like a long time before the release of Dedication in 2020, one of my favourite albums of that year, After The Fall would make us wait another 5 years before releasing their seventh album. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried because it’s early 2022 and the Albany, New York, four-piece have thankfully given us a brand new album entitled Isolation. With 10 new tracks squeezed into 17 minutes, the songs are played at a mostly blistering pace, but without sacrificing any melody, lyricism or technical proficiency.

‘Ghosts’ kicks things off at high speed, showcasing the duelling vocals of Mike and Jasmine very nicely. Fast, short and sweet, this is the After The Fall everyone has grown to love and provides a great start to the album. Jasmine’s vocals pair perfectly with Mike’s and are prominent throughout the album. It makes for a really great dynamic and has become one of my favourite vocal combinations in punk.

‘Adios Amigo’ follows and is a surprisingly mid-tempo song with a catchy melody and some nice lead guitar flourishes. I may be missing some nuance behind the song but I feel like the lyrics are directed at a certain music label (and owner) the band was previously involved with who messed around with an album release. After the brief reprieve, the speed is turned up again with ‘Degradation’. The pace is perfect for the anger directed at the pro-white, blue-lives-matter, alt-right section of the population. The song also features some of the best dual vocal harmonies heard since Jasmine joined the band.

‘Firewood’ is a song that would fit right in on any of the band’s previous releases. It’s fast, it’s melodic, but it’s also a melancholic love song with lyrics that describe what it feels like to meet and be with the person who makes everything feel right and the willingness to sacrifice in order to keep that feeling.

‘Gas Money’ is the first song on the album fronted by Jasmine. It’s angry, fast and seems to be a clear message to the music industry, which continues to pay smaller independent bands terribly.

Next up is another more mid-tempo song that just passes the 2 minute mark. ‘Break A Leg’ proves that After The Fall doesn’t have to play everything fast to sound great. The song serves as a reminder to people motivated by wealth and success that stepping over people to achieve that could leave them with an empty life without love.

‘Failed You’ is like the sad ending to the story started with ‘Firewood’, a poignant song reflecting on the acceptance of a failed relationship and the point in time at which the realisation occurred. It’s another great example of how well the vocals of Jasmine and Mike compliment each other.

The two songs that follow have a combined length of 1:30, which is short even by punk rock standards. The first is the title track ‘Isolation’, which perfectly expresses the feelings most of us have experienced over the last 2 years while being mostly stuck at home. The second is ‘Smashed State’, which has some hints of 90s pop-punk and a melody most bands would kill to match with songs twice as long.

‘Mileage’, the album closer, is only the third song to crack 2 minutes and it takes advantage of the extra time available with 3 verses, providing both Mike and Jasmine an opportunity to sing a verse each as well as a guest appearance by Jon Snodgrass. The chorus is catchy and really hits home with the message that “things will never be the same again”.

If you were a fan of previous After The Fall releases, the 17-minute length of Isolation won’t surprise you. The quality of the songwriting and the Blasting Room production won’t shock you either. What might surprise you is how the band manages to stay so consistent without rehashing old ideas or sounding stale. The songs are like quick, sharp punk-rock jabs delivering endorphins and adrenaline. Even the slower or longer songs never feel out of place or insincere. And when the album is over, all you’ll want to do is find the play button to start it over again.

Stream and download Isolation on Bandcamp here.

Like After The Fall on Facebook here.

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

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: Eruptions by The Special Bombs (by Marcus Pond)

The Special Bombs are a four piece group from Wittibreut, Germany. Their debut album Eruptions, came out on March 20 via SBÄM Records, six months after their debut EP Stay True. They released a video for the single “Still Dreaming” in mid-February, and had planned to do some touring to support Eruptions before COVID-19 changed everyone’s plans.

But, even if it’s not in front of a packed house party or a sweaty mosh pit, Eruptions is still a great listen. After seeing their video for “Still Dreaming”, I quickly hopped on the CPRW group message to call dibs on the review, and was thrilled to discover that Colin had already received an advance of their record. The email he forwarded to me had some press info that claimed their sound is similar to something that might come out of “Gainesville or Sweden instead of Lower Bavaria”. While The Special Bombs seem like they’d fit in well at a Fest lineup, and the Millencolin influence seems pretty apparent, I heard a homage to Bouncing Souls that was undeniable as well.

Eruptions kicks off with “My Eruption”, which features a guitar riff that would slide in perfectly on How I Spent My Summer Vacation. In similar Souls fashion, Stephan Lirk is able to flex his vocals into that trademark higher octave without too much of a strain. Also, similar to the Souls, he’s able to pen a song about something negative (losing your temper, getting frustrated, etc.) and make it sound unbelievably catchy and upbeat. Like a volcanic eruption, “My Eruption” builds and builds to a cathartic explosion of pounding drums and screaming vocals.

It’s quickly followed up with lead single “Still Dreaming”. This is easily the standout track (for me, at least), as it boasts an infectious chorus that is begging to be listened to at full volume with the windows down. I’ve listened to it dozens of times, and I still can’t help but sing along when Lirk yells “It feels like running out of fuel / I hope it’s over soon / I’m fighting against demons in my head.”

Even though I’m pretty sure I’m much older than the guys in The Special Bombs, I loved hearing “Not Too Old” from them. At first, I assumed that it was about not being too old to listen to punk music (something that I’m sure people who know me probably wonder about), but it’s really about not putting limits on your goals and dreams, something that undoubtedly resonates with everybody, eventually. A great tune about still having time to discover “what lies beyond the beaten track”.

The song I’d love to see live more than any would have to be “United”. There are lots of gang vocals here, especially during the chorus, when they all shout “This is our time, this is our scene / It’s all about passion and what we feel / United we are what we can’t be alone / Since we’re together nothing can go wrong.” I can already feel the sweaty bodies around me singing along, arm in arm.

Eruptions is nothing if not consistent. Each track is straightforward, uplifting, melodic punk. There’s no acoustic tracks, no orchestras or pianos thrown in for variety, no goofy throw-away songs. Every tune is meant to be played loud, ideally with space to jump around, with lyrics designed to be shouted along to.

RIYL: Bouncing Souls (but more How I Spent My Summer Vacation or Gold Record than Anchors Aweigh), Millencolin, Dropkick Murphys, Beatsteaks, volcanos

Stream and download Eruptions on Bandcamp here.

Like The Special Bombs on Facebook here.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.