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: 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: 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: Still Golden by Wolf-Face (by Chris Bishton)

Every now and again a band that I'm aware of, but not familiar with, release a record that really grabs me. I don't mean a band that I discover and think 'wow… this band have been around for ages, they've released loads of records and they're brilliant… how come I'm only just hearing them now!?' I'm talking about bands that I've seen others talk about, write about and wear the t-shirt of but, for whatever reason, I've never checked them out.

The release of Wolf-Face's Still Golden marks one of those moments. Being Floridian, Fest stalwarts and a band that so many Festers seemingly always want to see, I've always kinda *known* about them; but it's taken this release to *discover* them. So, whilst I don't really know why I got this album, for whatever reason I ordered a copy and setback to determine if there was anything behind the (supposedly) gimmicky masks. It turns out that no, I don't know why this is, and yes, I didn't know what I've been missing.

At first, I'm nervous. A glance through the song titles reveals a lot have a 'wolf-style' theme. I wonder if I've missed the joke and the record is going to be 11 cringey songs performed by actual teen(wolf)agers. I'm old enough to remember Snuff playing punk versions of TV adverts which was hilarious at the time, but wouldn't and shouldn't have been for actual grown-ups! But, I needn't have worried. The nervousness is unfounded. It's eleven searing, fist-in-the-air, singalong, punk bangers. I love it.

The album's title track, Still Golden, is the first track and begins as if it's a delicate ballad, leading me to think it's the 'obligatory cutesy intro' (™Deforesters). But it's not quite. It builds quickly with heated guitars and gutsy vocals. It's a great start.

Next is With Or Without Boof. It's fast and Ramonesy (but not Ramonescore, if that makes sense?) and serves to set up Howl Alone and Dog Whistle. These are two of my favourites – fast, catchy, melodic, raucous, singalongs. Feel-good, ready-made crowd favourites. So good.

All Dogs Go to Hell will also be another nailed on, hooky, crowd favourite. Slightly slower, but when played live, there is no conceivable way it won't have the entire crowd belting out in unison the line 'there's no place in heaven for a wolf like me'. It's exactly the sort of song I want as an earworm.

Werewolf And Whiskey Blood is a bit different – an intro using a sample of bar noise and then a harmonica. The bar noise continues and the song has a simple, strong vocal with occasional guitar backing, before the full band come crashing in to finish the song. I love it.

I don't realise it, but The Wolf is actually a cover of a Mumford And Sons song. Why would I? I've never knowingly listened to Mumford And Sons (is that a good or a bad thing?). But this is a lot of fun. The werewolf howling as the song builds especially puts a smile on my face.

No Need To Thank Me is another banger, before the record concludes with Keep Your Chin Up Little Pup – a slower, lyrical song, with the bass and drums not kicking in until the song and album draws to an end. It finishes the record perfectly.

Having now had this album on constant rotation for a few days, I again wonder why it's taken so long for me to *get* Wolf Face. It's an absolute blast, but not in an ironic, goofy, gimmicky way.

It wasn't the pseudonyms that previously put me off – Michael J, The Good Wolf, Rain-Wolf and Wolf-Fart – as I wasn't that accustomed to the band. Perhaps, subconsciously, it was the Teen Wolf outfits, although that sort of thing was never a problem with, let's say, Masked Intruder. Or perhaps I should just put it down to there being so many good bands out there and only having so many hours in the day to listen to them all.

Whatever it was, one thing I've learnt… never judge a band by their werewolf masks.

Stream and download Still Golden on Bandcamp here.

Like Wolf-Face on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.