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: Hands Off! by Jet8 and The Shifty Grifts

I first became aware of Czech skacore band Jet8 in 2019 when they made the trip to South London for Level Up Festival. I instantly became a fan of the band following their high energy performance. After that performance I made the extra effort to keep up with what the band were up to. In 2020 they released the incredible Chasing The High album. Now, in 2021, they’re back again with a new split EP with a band I wasn’t previously aware of named The Shifty Grifts – who are also a skacore band from Prague. I’ve said countless times on CPRW how much of a fan I am of split releases, they are such a great way to discover new bands. The split EP is titled Hands Off! and features two new Jet8 songs, two new The Shifty Grifts songs and a collaboration between the two bands.

Jet8 kick the EP off with their song Sixty Pounds. As I’ve come to expect from the band, the track starts with pounding drums, a shredding guitar and a big horn line. This creates so much energy from the outset. It’s not long before Martin’s powerful vocals come in which brings the intensity to the song. The song is about fighting to live your own life the way you want to despite the powers that be trying to hold you down. The breakdown that then leads to the big finale is classic Jet8. Their second song is titled Rise Up. This is another song about being your own person and fighting for what you believe in. Jet8 do these songs so well and this is another fantastic example of that. The track starts off in a very horn heavy manor which really caught my attention and then saxophonist Daniela takes a turn on lead vocals. This was a nice surprise and added a fantastic extra element to the band’s sound. Jet8 are fantastic at writing ferocious choruses that will have a crowd shouting them back at the band with real passion.

The first of The Shifty Grifts songs is titled Kill The Rich. This was my first time listening to the band and I was instantly in love with them. The band are more than happy to jump between melodic punk rock to bouncy ska and even a bit of reggae on the song, showing they have no borders when it comes to their songwriting. Kill The Rich starts with some real intensity before switching to some upbeat ska that will get everyone skanking and then jumping to a more high octane chorus. This is one of those songs that has so much going on and will leave you breathless. The theme of the song follows what Jet8 were also singing about – standing up for yourself and not getting downtrodden by folk who believe they are better than you. Next is The Hunger, The Rent, The Hate. This sees The Shifty Grifts showcase some crack rocksteady in their sound. Once again, the song looks at being downtrodden by “the man”. In this particular case, they sing about how the hardest workers are the ones on less pay and are struggling to make ends meet just so the people with the most money can make more of it. This is a song I really relate to a lot.

The final song, Keeping Me Sane, sees both bands team up. This is such a cool way to finish the split and I wish more bands would do the same. This is an upbeat ska song that gives thanks to the music that helps you find your way through life. There’s a really upbeat and positive feeling to the whole song and it had me smiling throughout. I’m a sucker for easter eggs in songs and there are plenty sprinkled throughout the lyrics that I loved picking out. I really want to hear this song live at some point, with both bands performing it.

Hands Off! is a superb EP. Easily one of my favourites of the year. It shows off two brilliant bands from Prague and it has me wondering what the rest of the Czech scene is like. There has been a lot of talk about the ska scene “returning” in recent months and these are two bands you definitely shouldn’t be sleeping on.

Stream and download Hands Off! on Bandcamp here.

Like Jet8 on Facebook here. And like The Shifty Grifts here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Wavebreaker #1 by Less Than Jake & Kill Lincoln

One of the very best things that has happened in the past eighteen months is the apparent re-emergence of ska punk. A huge part of this has involved California’s Bad Time Records who have released amazing records from Kill Lincoln, We Are The Union, Best Of The Worst, Joystick and more, as well as working on the amazing Ska Against Racism compilation with the legendary Asian Man Records. Bad Time Records work hard in showcasing new bands and proving that the ska punk scene is more than just the big three from the 90s. In June they announced a new split series which will feature a legendary band and a newer one. When I first saw this I thought this was a fantastic idea as the legendary band will grab the attention and will, in theory, get the listener to also check out the new band. The split series is titled Wavebreaker and the first release features a song each from Less Than Jake and Kill Lincoln. What an amazing combination of upbeat and energetic ska punk bands! I couldn’t wait to listen to this.

Gainesville legends Less Than Jake start the split with their track Need Some Shaking. What really struck me about the track on my first listen was the high tempo that kicks the song off. The song really has an old school Less Than Jake style to it but bass player Roger’s slick production also manages to keep the track sounding like it would fit nicely on the band’s newest full length, Silver Linings. In my opinion, LTJ are at their best when co-vocalists Chris and Roger share singing duties on their songs. On Need Some Shaking Chris does a magnificent job on the high tempo verses and Roger’s choruses will get a whole load of people singing along. The track is about not becoming stale and predictable and taking chances in your life. In all honesty, I really enjoyed Silver Linings but I’m not quite sure why they didn’t include this song on the album as, for me, it’s one of the best songs the band have released in a while.

Kill Lincoln’s effort for Making Waves is titled Going Under. I’ve become a big Kill Lincoln fan over the past year, following the release of Can’t Complain, and am itching to see them live. For me, they write songs that are begging to be played live to a room packed with people, skanking themselves into an energetic frenzy. Hopefully I can be a part of this at Fest in October. Something that really attracted me to Kill Lincoln was the energy their horn section adds to their songs so I was very pleased to hear them open the track. From there we move to a more stripped back sounding verse. It feels a bit weird to call it stripped back as there is a lot going on but there’s a lot of subtlety to it that creates a really interesting sound. The sound of the song does become fuller during the chorus and after the quieter sections it really stands out. Going Under is about struggling with your mental health and wondering how much more you can take. It’s always important to talk about mental health so I thought it was great for Kill Lincoln to do so on such a high profile release.

As I mentioned in the introduction, Wavebreaker is the first in a series of split releases from Bad Time Records. If this first release is anything to go by, we’re in for some absolute treats. Nothing has been announced (at the time of writing this) about what other combinations are in the works but I’m very excited to find out.

Stream and download Wavebreaker #1 on Bandcamp here.

Like Less Than Jake on Facebook here and like Kill Lincoln on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Kids Against Crosses and François Freygolo Split

I love splits and I love checking out bands from Europe that I’ve never heard of. So when I came across a split by French acts Kids Against Crosses and François Freygolo I was keen to check it out. There isn’t much about Kids Against Crosses on the Internet except what I could find on their Bandcamp page. I discovered that they are from Cagnes Sur Mer and they’ve been releasing music since 2010. François Freygolo is a member of the ska punk band Freygolo who are from Nice. I also discovered that the split is being distributed by the always brilliant Krod Records.

Kids Against Crosses begin the split with their song Last Chance To Be Worried. This is an acoustic guitar lead song accompanied by a trombone. If you’re aware of Gainesville’s Coffee Project (featuring Buddy from Less Than Jake), you’ll get an idea of the sound. The song begins quietly with some soft guitar playing and the vocals. The vocals immediately catch my attention with their powerful delivery and the fact that they’re much poppier than I was really expecting. When the trombone comes in it’s a very nice surprise. This is a very loud sounding acoustic punk song and I’m into it. The duo’s second song is titled Casino. What really struck me about this track when I first listened to it was how much I wanted to sing along with it. I can fully imagine being in a tiny room packed with people singing along so loudly that you drown out the singer’s vocals. That sort of thing gives me goosebumps. The Kids Against Crosses half of the split is faultless and I’ve discovered a favourite new band.

François Freygolo’s first song is titled What Haven’t I Got. I was surprised to discover that this is actually a full band effort as I was expecting just a man with his acoustic guitar. The song starts in a big way with some big “whoa-ohs” to get things going. From that moment I was excited to see where the track would go. Much like Casino, the song feels like a sing-along from that opening moment. I think it’s fair to say François’ vocal isn’t as poppy as the chap from Kids Against Crosses. This is countered with some great gang vocals that made me feel like a part of the song. Punk is about being inclusive and What Haven’t I Got certainly gives you that feeling. It’s Gonna Rain is a softer and slower track that includes a xylophone and a string accompaniment. It’s a nice contrast to What Haven’t I Got and shows a different side of François. This is a sad love song where François sings about how his mental health puts a dark cloud over him even when he feels like he should be happy. Something I’m sure a lot of people will relate to.

Check this split out and then go and listen to all of Kids Against Crosses and François Freygolo’s other work. You won’t be disappointed.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Facing Reality by Stuck Lucky and Still Alive

Today I’m excited to review a skacore split brought to you by the fantastic folk from Bad Time Records and featuring Nashville’s Stuck Lucky and Still Alive from Chicago. The split came to my attention because it was released by Bad Time Records and I’ve featured Still Alive a number of times before. This was my first exposure to Stuck Lucky though (the beauty of a split release) and I was excited to find a new favourite band.

Stuck Lucky take on the first side of the split with the song Spells And Tails. This was my first experience of Stuck Lucky and I was instantly impressed. The band starts the song by quickly building things up, with each instrument coming in adding something different to the sound. When the vocals come in I’m kind of reminded of Sweeney Todd who sang for The Dead Pets and Everybody Out (that might be a niche reference). Kind of an intense street punk style is the best way of describing it. The song also features plenty of gang vocals and harmonies and the band manage to give the song a spooky an ominous feel. It feels as if Stuck Lucky have their own unique style and I’m into it. Close 2 Hell is a twenty six second noise track that, if I’m honest, I’m not really sure of the point of. Father Mercy gets things back on track though. The tempo seems a bit slower but the vocals feel much more intense and really pull you into the song. I was surprised to learn that Stuck Lucky only have one brass player, the trombone sounds massive and adds so much to the song. Stuck Lucky’s third song is titled Like A Possum. This is a very trombone heavy song and is perhaps my favourite on this half of the split. The trombone will get you dancing whilst the fantastic amount of gang vocals will get you shouting along with the band with your fist held firmly to the sky. Stuck Lucky’s final track is probably the most traditional sounding skacore track on their side of the split. For the first time they use two vocalists trading off lines. This is something I always enjoy. It keeps the song sounding fresh and adds plenty of energy. It also features some superb harmonies that I’m always such a sucker for.

Still Alive kick off their half of the split with Razor Blades. The song starts off quietly before exploding into life. Still Alive certainly lean heavily on the hardcore side of the skacore genre in their music and this is evident immediately, though they do implement little bits of ska and reggae during the track. The song is politically themed, tackling the subject of why do we do what are leaders tell us to when we know they are corrupt. I really liked the line “how can we rise with our feet in cement.” 24 Hours begins with an audio clip of running water before a heavy bass line begins to build up the song. Here, Still Alive show off their reggae influence for the majority of the song before it builds into the more hardcore side of their sound. It’s interesting that the band manage to blend two genres that aren’t natural bedfellows so easily. Switchblade Architect is a five minute long post-hardcore song. The song begins in a relentless fashion, with Still Alive melting your face off. As the track progresses, they add some melody and a fantastic guitar solo with another dash of reggae before finishing as relentlessly as they began. If you want a song that will have people losing their minds in the pit then this is the one for you. The penultimate song on the split is named Exposed. Changing things up, now the band play a just over two minute track that packs in so much ferocity you can’t fight the urge to get those devil horns high in the air. We finish with Ransom Note. This is a song about how so many people die in the USA because they can’t afford to pay health insurance. Coming from the UK where we’re very lucky to have the NHS, it’s shocking to me that anyone has to pay for healthcare. It’s disgusting. This was probably the song that hit me hardest on the split and it’s a perfect choice for a final track as is leaves you walking away outraged about this situation.

Listening to this split on a sleepy Tuesday morning really woke me up. Having both bands on this split was a great idea. They work well together but also are different enough that they add variety to the split. I was already a fan of Still Alive before this split but I’m now keen to check out more of Stuck Lucky. I guess that’s the point of a split release.

Stream and download Facing Reality on Bandcamp here.

Like Stuck Lucky on Facebook here and like Still Alive on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Split by Trophy Jump and afewyearslater

Split EPs are great. Often a band you're a fan of will release one with a band you've never heard of before that you quickly become a fan of. This was the case for me when our friends in Croatian punk rockers Trophy Jump released a four song split with Hungarian band afewyearslate.

afewyearslater kick off the EP with the fifty-five second long It's A No. This was a great introduction to a band I hadn't heard of before. During the track's short duration they managed to display all that afewyearslater are about. It's a melodic pop punk style with gruff vocals that are easy to sing along to. The song is about being angry and frustrated with how the powers that be treat people and wanting to rebel against this.

Trophy Jump's first song is titled Glass Bell. This is a much poppier affair than afewyearslater's effort. This doesn't stop it having the same impactful meaning though as Antun sings about those people who talk about living life to the fullest but in reality just do what they're told or what they think they're supposed to do.

Go On is the name of afewyearslater's second offering. It covers a similar theme to Glass Bell, perhaps even takes it a step further by encouraging people to go their own way and aim for their dreams. I wonder if this was intentional by both bands or just a bit of luck. The song seems to have a higher tempo than It's A No does, giving it more of a sense of urgency. I loved the positive message in the song.

The split is completed by Trophy Jump and the song Bazooka Blaze. When I read the name of the song, I thought that Bazooka Blaze sounds like the name of a cheesy kids superhero character. It turns out the song is about a person who runs round saving drunk people from criminals. I assume this song is just a bit of fun but I seriously hope there is someone running around in Croatia doing this. This song put such a smile on my face from the first time I listened to it and it got bigger and bigger as the song went on.

I really enjoyed this split. It's short and sweet and a great showcase for both bands. If you don't know either band yet, then I highly suggest you check them out.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here.

Like Trophy Jump on Facebook here and like afewyearslater on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.