Colin's Top Ten EPs and Top Ten Albums of 2017

Doing end of year lists is something that I find fun and terrifying in equal measure. Of course it's a lot of fun going back and looking at all of the amazing releases of the year and picking my favourites. There was a ridiculous amount of fantastic punk rock music in 2017 and that's why doing an end of year list if also so terrifying. As someone who spends a huge portion of his spare time reviewing new music, I had a lot of releases to consider. At one point I had a shortlist of thirty albums I was trying to choose from and it was agonising. A lot of my favourite artists released new music this year, including Less Than Jake, The Menzingers, Iron Chic, Hot Water Music, ONSIND, Anti-Flag, Spring Heeled Jack, Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, Goldfinger, Great Cynics and The Smith Street Band. Astonishingly none of these bands made it onto my list - that really shows just how good 2017 has been for new punk rock music. I decided to do two top ten lists for releases this year, one for EPs and one for albums to show off as many of the great 2017 releases as possible. I hope you enjoy my lists, if there's something on there you haven't listened to I really hope you are inspired to do so because I think it's great.

Before getting into my lists, I want to give a quick honourable mention to Holy Shit by Davey Dynamite. This album was released at the very end of 2016 during that strange week between Christmas and New Year thus meaning I'd already completed my end of year lists. My 2016 album was Pkew Pkew Pkew's self titled album, however if I had heard Holy Shit beforehand it would have taken the top spot. It's raw, powerful, passionate and simply stunning punk rock at its finest.

Now, introductions and honourable mentions out of the way, let's get on with why you're reading this post. The lists.

EPS

10. Nuking Candyland by Fast Food Society

London based punk label Disconnect Disconnect Records release some outstanding skate punk from all over the world. When Nuking Candyland by Spanish band Fast Food Society found its way into my mailbox and eventually to my speakers I was hooked on this extremely powerful EP. Showcasing the band's politics in a way that will not only get you amped up but also get you thinking, Nuking Candyland is essential listening for anyone for anyone who loves their punk to have a strong message.

9. Adult Braces by No Trigger

No Trigger's first new material in five years was met with much excitement. When I first listened to Adult Braces, released by the always excellent Bird Attack Records, I thought it was decent. But after hearing the songs played live at The Borderline in London for No Trigger's only UK show of 2017, I was sold. This is sing-a-long melodic punk rock at its finest. Lead singer Tom Rheault's vocals are a particular highlight, some of the best raspy vocals around.

8. Buffalo Buffalo by Spanish Love Songs

One of both mine and Emma's favourite new discoveries of the year is Spanish Love Songs who hail from Los Angeles, California. Their 2015 album Giant Sings The Blues has featured heavily on our record player and we were both stoked when the five piece released a new EP titled Buffalo Buffalo just before Fest this year. It features three superb songs that are not only sad but also very uplifting at the same time. Buffalo Buffalo has that superb cathartic feeling to it when you shout along as loud as you can to these songs.

7. Life Is Ruff by Dollar Signs

Life Is Ruff by Dollar Signs is the only pick on either of my list that hasn't been reviewed by Colin's Punk Rock World. This was because it was released back in March and I only found out about it in November. At first I was instantly attracted to the EP's cover art which is, as you can see, a dogs face. I always want to check out albums with animals on the cover. The five songs on Life Is Ruff remind me of Bomb The Music Industry with the chaotic looseness of it all. It's a fun EP that doesn't take itself too seriously and puts a smile on your face.

6. Side Effects by Fastfade

Discovering Fastfade is something that really sticks in my memories of 2017. It was a really wet day and we'd gotten soaked making our way to the Unicorn in Camden to see Forever Unclean. When we arrived there were three young lads covering a Lagwagon song and I was instantly cheered up. Those three young lads were, of course, Fastfade. Later in the year they released a brand new EP Side Effects on the always excellent Umlaut Records that really blew me away. As someone who grew up on 90s skate punk Epi-Fat bands, I immediately fell in love with Side Effects. It somehow mixes a feeling of nostalgia with a freshness that works brilliantly. Also they are great fun live.

5. Float by Forever Unclean

Speaking of Forever Unclean… I've been championing these three Danes since the release of their debut EP Shreds in 2015. Newest EP Float was co-released in March by Disconnect Disconnect Records and Make-That-A-Take Records to rave reviews everywhere. It shows a growth in songwriting, musicianship as well as production for the band. Float (for lack of a better word) floats between the realms of pop, skate and indie punk brilliantly. It's been wonderful for me watching this band evolve and I can't wait to see what's next for them. I also can't wait to see them at Manchester Punk Festival next year.

4. Dorkmonteau by Sixteen Scandals

Aside from deciding to listening to albums because they have animals on the cover I also am a sucker for punny names. This is the exact reason I decided to check out Dorkmonteau by Sixteen Scandals, a three piece from Toronto, Canada. Dorkmonteau can best be described as a mix of pop punk and alternative rock music. By that I mean it's slightly harder in sound than most pop punk music but is full of catchy hooks. Adolessons is the stand out track on the EP and is one of my favourites of the entire year.

3. Call In Sick by Toodles & The Hectic Pity

Call In Sick by Toodles & The Hectic Pity is indie punk at its finest. This three piece from Bristol came out of nowhere to put out what is in my opinion the best folk punk release of the year. Call In Sick tackles topics such as mental health, relationship troubles and fitting in brilliantly with each song telling a little story that also has you singing, smiling and dancing along. I'm expecting huge things from Toodles & The Hectic Pity in 2018 and beyond.

2. Why We Fight by 24 Hour Punks

Most bands take weeks and months to write, practice and record songs before releasing them into the wild. 24 Hour Punks however took a different approach. The band, which is comprised of members of Call Me Malcolm, Bar Stool Preachers, Millie Manders, Popes Of Chilltown and Skaciety, did this in just twenty four hours and did an unbelievable job. All three tracks are fast, hard hitting punk rock bangers that for me are as good as almost anything that has been released this year. And let's remember that they were all written, practiced and recorded in twenty four hours! This was also all done in aid of charity - ammf.org.uk, who are a cancer charity.

1. Alterations by The Burnt Tapes

I think anyone who has been a regular reader of Colin's Punk Rock World this year would have guessed that Alterations by The Burnt Tapes would be number one on this list. In truth it's my number one release of everything combined of the year. It really is just superb in every way. I was lucky enough to get an early listen of the EP and immediately was blown away. I happened to bump into Tone the band's bass player, and the friendliest guy in punk rock, at a Jeff Rosenstock gig that same day and gushed to him about just how good it was. All six songs are an introspective look at life as someone approaching their thirties and dealing with the struggles that it brings. Along with the brilliant lyrics, musically everything is spot on. On Alterations Tone, Phil, Pan and Jordan take you on an emotional ride that will move you as you're losing your voice screaming along to these brilliant songs.

Albums

10. Leonard by Deforesters

I've mentioned countless times this year about just how strong the Canadian punk scene is at the moment. Toronto's Deforesters are a band I've been aware of for a little while thanks to my friend Lauren Mills of Mills On Wheels PR. Deforesters' first full length album Leonard was released back in February and well and truly lived up to the promise of their earlier EPs. Melodic pop punk is very popular in the scene currently and Leonard features some of the very top songs in the genre. If you love sing-a-long punk rock that will have you throwing your fists in the air, then Leonard is an album for you.

9. Good Night Memories by Quitters

I've found so many great bands through Bandcamp discovery in 2017. One of the best has to be Quitters who released their debut album Good Night Memories in April. Quitters are a French band who play fantastic sing-a-long punk rock. Something I really loved about Good Night Memories is how the album is split into two sections with a more upbeat, cheery sounding side and a harsher, darker side. I'm really looking forward to checking Quitters out live next year. (Also Good Night Memories wins the award for best album artwork.)

8. Saying Goodbye by Plan 37

Here's my second entry for the great punk rock nation of Canada - Saying Goodbye by Plan 37. Coincidently Plan 37 share a member with Deforesters. Plan 37 play fantastic in your face buzzsaw pop punk with shout along vocals. On my first listen of Saying Goodbye I knew that it was going to be one of my favourite albums on 2017. There aren't enough pop punk bands of this ilk around. Each and every songs fills me with an unstoppable energy that has me wanting to start a one man mosh pit in my living room. I can only imagine how much fun they are live.

7.  Never A Dull Movement by Kid You Not

Let's not beat around the bush, Never A Dull Movement by Saint Augustine's Kid You Not sounds an awful lot like Not Like This era Iron Chic. That's not a bad thing for me, Not Like This is one of my top five albums ever so anything that sounds like that is fine by me. Never A Dull Movement is packed with ten fantastic sing-a-long punk rock songs about growing up and learning how best to live your life. This may get me a little bit of hate but Kid You Not surpassed Iron Chic's new album You Can't Stay Here for me. Never A Dull Movement is the album I wished Iron Chic released.

6. Unfrightened by Hateful Monday

This is another album I discovered due to Lauren Mills' Mills On Wheels PR. Hateful Monday are a long running skate punk band from Switzerland. The opening track on Unfrightened is named As Far As I Can Remember and is the best song of the year. It's a storming song about finding strength through punk rock music - we all relate to that I'm sure. The rest of the album is packed with fast and intelligent skate punk music. If you grew up listening to skate punk you'll find the album relatable and musically you'll be filled with nostalgia from the glory days of the genre.

5. Roach by Aerial Salad

What a surprise this album was. I'd heard only good things about Roach, the debut album from Manchester pop punk Aerial Salad but I wasn't quite prepared for just how good it was. Unashamedly wearing their influences on their musical sleeves, the trio put together a superb album that focuses a lot on the struggles of living with mental health issues as well as being stuck in a job you hate, not fitting in and life in a small band. Roach is in my opinion the best album by an English band in 2017. These boys are only just getting started and will continue to get better and better.

4. Broadcasting To The Nations by Authority Zero

From talking to a lot of my punk rock pals we can all agree that Broadcasting To The Nations by Authority Zero is one of the best albums of 2017. I've been a long time fan of Authority Zero ever since hearing Revolution on an old Warped Tour compilation in the early 2000s. Andiamo is another incredible album and one of my all time favourites. So when I say that Broadcasting To The Nations topped that album it's not something I say lightly. Authority Zero have played around with different sounds within the punk rock genres over the years jumping between skate punk, reggae, ska and, at times, acoustic punk rock. On Broadcasting To The Nations they have taken the best of all of those genres and created an album that is quite incredible. Also singer Jason DeVore still has my favourite vocal in all of punk rock.

3. A Good Day For The Damned by Jaya The Cat

Continuing the theme of bands topping what was previously one of my all time favourites. Jaya The Cat put out their first album in five years this November and blew away all expectations. A Good Day For The Damned is just superb. It's full of drunken reggae love songs that really get you in the feels. Geoff Lagadec is on fine form here and the rest of Jaya The Cat show why they are one of the best bands in the business. We got to see some of these songs live recently and I was completely blown away not only by how well they fit into the band's live set but just how positively the crowd reacted to them. Clearly it's not just me who loves A Good Day For The Damned.

2. Coitus Interruptus by Flabbercasters

I was so close to picking a silly pop punk album as my top album of the year for the second year running. I'm such a sucker for silly songs that put big smiles on my face. This was also the most random review I've ever written. Coitus Interruptus is the debut album from Baltimore based band Flabbercasters. It features sixteen pop punk songs about life as a wizard and the trials and tribulations that that lifestyle involves. I used the word silly a lot in my initial review of the album and it's a word that I stand by. In a world that is falling apart more and more everyday it's fantastic to find bands like Flabbercasters who are just the most fun. A big part of my enjoyment of music is the escapism that it brings. On Coitus Interruptus I get to escape to a world where I can pretend I'm a punk rock wizard. That's the dream that is.

1. Dream Gig by Dead Bars

The big thing that has always attracted me to punk rock music is the everyman feel that it gives. Trying not to sound too clichéd but it's music for the people by the people. This is why Dream Gig by Seattle based punk rockers Dead Bars is my number one album of 2017. Dream Gig is simple gruff pop punk with singer John Maiello's raspy vocals giving the songs such an interesting sound. Maiello is not the strongest singer but this is what really gives the album so much of its everyman charm. This is that brilliant punk rock that will have you screaming along to every song as if your life depends on it. The songs cover a range of topics such as love, growing up, mental health and going after your dreams. I found the whole album extremely relatable as I'm sure many punk rockers in their late twenties and early thirties will. Dream Gig is an album that is full of cathartic moments that just make you feel better and that is a wonderful feeling. No other album released in 2017 has made as big of an impression on me and that is why it's my 2017 album of the year.

This end of year list was written by Colin Clark.

Richard's Top Ten Albums of 2017

10. Silent Unspeakable by Bear Trade

Building on their excellent debut “Blood and Sand”, the return of the North-East’s finest gruff punks is a blistering collection of songs that define the mood of the country in these post Brexit times. There are feelings of sincerity, honesty, acceptance and apprehension throughout the album, providing an emotional tinge that few albums achieve; whilst remaining gruff enough that it’s guaranteed to get fists in the air. A truly stellar return!

9. Dream Gig by Dead Bars

Typical bratty punk rock can often be overlooked and maligned. Looking to change that and take the party anywhere that will have them, Seattle's Dead Bars debut LP "Dream Gig" is honest, funny, passionate and ultimately a love letter to punk rock and the community… So when John sings that his dream is to "play with the Souls" you get an insight into how much this world means to the band. Sounding like a homage to old-school party punks The Nobodys or Sloppy Seconds, Dead Bars are the true definition of “pop-punk” with tunes that will stick in your head for hours and real sing out loud moments - you can’t help but be swept along for the ride!

8. The Run Up by The Run Up

Bristolian gruff-punks The Run-Up’s debut album fulfils their early EP potential and then some. Taking its influences from many notable American acts such as Timeshares or Iron Chic, the band have delivered a real banger of an album filled with anthemic, uplifting tunes and glorious fist in the air choruses. Tracks such as "WKND" will instantly put a smile on your face and leave you wanting more - definitely ones to watch out for over the next 12 months.

7. Thank You for Being a Friend by 88 Fingers Louie

Possibly the biggest surprise of the year; whilst it was expected that 88FL would deliver a solid album, the volatile nature of the band coupled with their lengthy hiatus meant it could have gone either way. Thankfully, the melodic hardcore veterans produced a stunning, emotionally-charged and at times angry album that not only stays true to their legacy, but has launched them back to the forefront of the genre in style. 

6. Natural Light by Track and Field

The Leeds quartet's debut LP is truly special, a stunning blend of post-hardcore and indie tunes reminiscent of Restorations with a touch of Cheap Girls or, even at times, The Cure thrown in. It’s melodic without being overly poppy and driven by some excellent melodies and gorgeous song-writing. It sounds like a true labour of love by the band and within one listen you'll see why. 

5. The King of No-Man by Captain, We’re Sinking 

A more reflective and adult album compared to the previous, “The Future is Cancelled”, TKNM is a proper introspective journey. Feeling highly personal, it’s a wonderful slab of post-hardcore brilliance with tracks such as “Trying Year” and “Crow” real stand-outs.

4. Light It Up by Hot Water Music

Warning – a controversial statement is ahead… I’ll go out on a limb and say personally this is probably the best HWM release since “No Division”... there I said it (and await the backlash). I’ve revisited this album countless times to see if my assessment holds up and each time I come away loving it more. It’s HWM doing what HWM do best and the world's a better place for it!

3. Distance by Heavy Heart

With nine instant classics, French pop-punkers Heavy Heart have produced one of the most endearing albums of the year. Driven by three vocalists, the songs are catchy, upbeat, instantly relatable and brilliant to sing-a-long to! Heavy Hearts'  collection of Timeshares-esq punk rock tunes might have slid under the radar a little but it has become one of my go-to records this year.

 2. You Can’t Stay Here by Iron Chic

Big songs with even bigger chorus, Iron Chic have returned with their strongest album yet and given the quality of its predecessors that’s no easy feat. Comprising eight amazing fist in the air anthems and three near perfect ballads it’s practically flawless.

1. After The Party by The Menzingers

If 2012’s “On the Impossible Past” was a major ground-breaking album for the Scrantonite punks, launching them into the punk rock mainstream, “After The Party” is truly earth shattering. Building on everything that’s come before, it’s so honest, earnest, melancholic and anthemic that every song is single material. One of the great punk albums of the last 20 years for sure!

This end of year list was written by Richard Mair.

Column: The Home Of Punk In London

In my opinion the New Cross Inn pub in South London is fast becoming the home of punk rock in London. I made my first visit back in 2015 to see one of Random Hand's last shows. I really liked the venue but didn't make it back again until this year for a pop punk all-dayer headlined by greek band The Overjoyed and then made the journey back the following weekend for the newly created ska punk weekender named Level Up Festival. I then returned in October for another all-dayer with Fat Wreck Chords band The Bombpops headlining. During these events I well and truly fell head over heels in love with the New Cross Inn.

First off because in terms of room size, it's my kind of size. The older I get it seems that I enjoy finding smaller and smaller venues. I've long hated going to the big academies and now even somewhere the size of The Underworld is a little too big for my tastes. The New Cross Inn is just the right size. It's not so big that you feel lost in a sea of people but also not so small that it feels completely cramped on a busy night. The atmosphere is always super friendly and welcoming. It feels like entering Cheers, the pub - that place you go where everybody knows your name. (You'll probably only get that reference if you're old and cool.) I think part of the reason that the atmosphere is so good is because the New Cross Inn is somewhere for the most dedicated music fans to visit. Not being in central London, the pub is a little more out of the way for most people to visit. More casual fans might have a bit of a ‘can't be bothered’ attitude towards the extra bit of travelling. That's their loss however, because they will be missing out on some killer nights.

Now let's talk about the musical portion of a gig, you know the actual reason I assume people go to gigs. The stage is a nice size that'll fit even the biggest of ska punk acts on comfortably and it's quite low giving you that fantastic feeling of being on the same level as the band playing. That's a part of the important message that punk for portrays, we're all at the same level. The sound is always superb, it's always possible to hear each instrument perfectly and I've never had issues hearing the vocals of any band. At times I've had difficulty making out the lyrics from some bands but that's more because of the singers' vocal style rather than the sound. The team who do sound at the venue always do a fantastic job setting things up between sets, ensuring that things are running smoothly. This is even more important for a venue which is a little out of the way like New Cross, for people like myself who don't live in London so have to keep an eye on the time for the trains home. You don't want to have to leave halfway through the headliner because there have big delays throughout the gig.

Ticket prices are always rediculously cheap for their gigs. I've have spoken to Paul who books gigs at the New Cross Inn with Be Sharp Promotions and he's said that he always tries to keep things cheap for people so they can afford to come to the shows. Again this is very beneficial for people coming from out of London who are already paying for transport. For the bigger academy shows, a night out can cost almost £50 when you add up ticket prices and train fares. And if you include getting a drink or two, perhaps some food if you've come straight from work and, of course, some merch then you're looking at a very expensive night out! This isn't the case at New Cross Inn and I love this attitude. Music should be for everyone and not just those who can afford it.

2018 is already shaping up to be a huge year for punk rock at New Cross Inn. The list of shows already announced is crazy! Here's a list of what's already been announced. Click on each for all the event details. No doubt you'll see me at a few of them.

Dead Neck / Eat The Evidence / Triple Sundae / The Burnt Tapes / The Sour Taste - Saturday 6th January

Great Collapse - Monday 5th February

Discharge / Butcher Baby / Etc / BKS - Saturday 10th February

New Town Kings / The Pisdicables / Codename Colin - Friday 16th February

F.O.D / For I Am - Saturday 17th February

Ray Rocket / Sam Russo / Alex Wonk / Dan Goatham (Spoilers) / Triple Sundae (Acoustic) / Stew Gush / Wayfairer / Lucias Malcolm (Call Me Malcolm) / Dan Peters (RxR) / SKIV (Acoustic) / Mark Noble / C-Rage - Sunday 18th February

Resistance 77 / The Straps / Boots'N'All / Freedom Faction / The Tokyo Rankers / The Mistakes / The Crash Landings - March 3rd

Dug Stock 2 with Counterpunch / The Murderburgers / Fair Dos / Almeida / PMX / Captain Trips / The Burnt Tapes / Mug / On A Hiding To Nothing / Billy Liar / Tragical History Tour / The SLM - Easter weekend

The Peacocks - Saturday 14th April

Get Dead - Monday 23rd April

The Bennies - Wednesday 25th April

Bar Stool Preachers - Wednesday May 2nd

Polite Riot Festival with A Wilhelm Scream / Teenage Bottlerocket - June 22nd-24th

Level Up Festival with Random Hand / Lightyear - July 20th-22nd

This Is A Standoff - Thursday August 2nd

Top Tens: Joe Sullivan from Joe Sullivan & The Happiness Werewolves' Top 10 Influential Records

Top 10 influential records list (in life order).

Prince Buster – FABulous Greatest Hits
I had a lot of exposure to 60s music through my dad while growing up, and while ska was something I quite liked, it wasn’t till I heard the 1998 re-release of ‘Whine and Grine’ that I felt like I really ‘owned’ a song. My dad used to tape the original versions of recently re-released songs off his records for me, things like ‘Boys of Summer’ by Don Henley. ‘Whine and Grine’ was one such song and I vividly remember watching Prince Buster singing it live on Top of the Pops. Going back to the original version years later there are some questionable lyrics, to say the least… ‘Whine and Grine’ features on the expanded CD version of ‘FABulous Greatest Hits’, which adds seminal Buster tunes such as ‘Madness’, ‘One Step Beyond’ and ‘Enjoy Yourself’ to the original package.

Sum 41 – All Killer, No Filler
In 2001 I was 14. I was disenfranchised and unmotivated at school, but with nowhere to focus my energy. I had a trumpet but wasn’t motivated to practise the dull concert pieces required for my Grade 5 in the instrument. I owned a guitar I couldn’t play, a Hondo Les Paul copy passed to me by my dad, who used to have it strung upside down to play left-handed. When I came into possession of it I don’t think it even had any strings. Music wasn’t a huge personal thing for me – I had a few CD compilations bought as Christmas presents, one album I had bought myself (‘Left of the Middle’ by Natalie Imbruglia - which is still ace, by the way) and a penchant for 60s ska and rocksteady. My friends were starting to get into rock music and had played me a band called Blink-182, who were fun enough. Then one night on the radio I head a song come in with the line “I don’t wanna waste my time, become another casualty of society, I’ll never fall in line, become another victim of this conformity”. This is me! I hate everything too! I clicked Record+Play on my tape deck and recorded the second half of the song, but had no idea who it was. For ages I carried that cassette around playing the second half of the song, labelled ‘I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time’ – Blink 182. No idea why I thought it was by them, it just sounded roughly like them. I found out it was Sum 41 eventually and grabbed ‘All Killer No Filler’ as soon as it came out. I joined my first band, learnt rudimentary guitar chords, and bought the official tab book of the album so I could teach myself the songs. ‘Fat Lip’ changed my life.

The Clash – London Calling
The Clash are the biggest influence on me musically and personally – from their sound to their experimentation, their intensity to their politics. Oddly, I’ve always been attracted to later-period Clash more than the earlier punkier stuff (save ‘Safe European Home’). Punk was the first genre that woke me up to be in a band, but it wasn’t my first love (ska and rocksteady) and wasn’t the music I grew up surrounded by (60s soul and surf guitar instrumentals). I first got ‘London Calling’ on CD in 2002 and it is still my favourite album – and what I consider as The Clash’s greatest achievement. It imprinted on me an appreciation of moulding together different sounds, genres, influences and moods.

Metallica – Master Of Puppets
‘Master of Puppets’ was really influential on my guitar playing. Jimi Hendrix is the pinnacle of guitar playing for me, but his wildly improvisational style was at slight odds with my preference for playing rhythm guitar and my appreciation of economical, precise technique. My earliest memorable exposure to guitar playing was through my dad’s love of The Shadows, and Hank Marvin’s laser-focussed precision on his lead breaks, and his understanding of how to sync his solos with the turns and changes in the rhythm section. This is something I found to be replicated in Hetfield and Hammett’s twin guitar attack – except this time with added fury. The chugging, individually downstroked and muted rhythm guitar parts are the stars here – the two intro riffs of the title track, the lumbering majesty of ‘Leper Messiah’ – and rather than exhibit flashy wankfests in the vein of Vai or Satriani, Kirk Hammett’s leads weave and bounce along in their wake, complementing the tumble and squall of Hetfield’s thundering riffs on the likes of ‘Battery’ and ‘Orion’.

Against Me! – Reinventing Axl Rose
I got into Against Me! at university in 2005, when I formed a band with some other new students and our singer Andy suggested covering ‘Pints of Guinness Make You Strong’. Listening to the record it didn’t click with me initially – I preferred the slightly less scrappy sound of their most recently released album, ‘Searching For A Former Clarity’. Over time I grew to love the scrappiness. It felt ramshackle, it felt alive, it felt REAL. The impassioned screaming of Laura Jane Grace about the music scene in ‘We Laugh At Danger’ and ‘Reinventing Axl Rose’ was a mission statement for my future musical endeavours. Even more important was the use of an acoustic guitar as a weapon of fury. To me, acoustic guitars were the calling card of the indie pop whiner. Against Me! claimed them back and used them to play shows in laundromats.

King Tubby – Declaration Of Dub
My own songwriting tends to be pretty wordy. Dub Reggae is the antithesis of this; emphasising the feel of a song, creating a thick, heady atmosphere, jarring the listener by dropping in samples, sound effects and snatches of guitar and vocals. It is a wonderful deconstruction of the traditional song format, something especially highlighted on ‘Declaration of Dub’ through the magnificent title track. Here, King Tubby strips back the Abyssinian’s ‘Declaration of Rights’ to its stark underbelly of bass and drums, utilizing reverb and delay to unsettle your stomach. The economy of dub music has always chimed with me as a great innovation. In a Jamaican music market dominated by throwaway singles, studio time was at a premium while new cuts were demanded for the dancehall sometimes daily. Taking one riddim (rhythm track) and versioning it through deejay, dub, instrumental and various vocal tracks simply cut down the workload. The creativity displayed by King Tubby has long influenced my own choices in recording and production of recordings for my various bands, those old dub traits of riffs dropping in and out on a whim and a pervading layer of reverb, remaining ever-present.

Bomb The Music Industry! – Goodbye Cool World
Bomb The Music Industry! were a complete revelation to me. I was sat on a beach in Bournemouth with one headphone in, talking to a girlfriend while this record started, only half listening. I finished talking and stuck the other ear in, just in time for the start of ‘Even Winning Feels Bad’. I had downloaded the record after a guy on an Against Me! community board had a label that was printing a super nice UK exclusive ‘mint swirl’ variant of the LP. I liked the look of it enough to listen to this band I’d never heard of, hoping they would be good enough to justify a purchase. “There’s a song tonight that I don’t wanna sing…”. It’s a scratchy, shouty guy with an acoustic guitar. Yeah, sounds about right. Then descending twin harmony guitars, panned to one ear each, cuts my head in half before lurching into the bounciest synth riff ever, smashing into my brain. BTMI! rightly get lauded for their incredible DIY ethic and attitude and it had a huge influence on me – I could make records in my bedroom, I could put out my music online for free – and it would never have happened if this record was not so deliriously, winnably brilliant.

Billy Bragg – The Internationale
Billy Bragg got me over (some) of my crippling confidence issues. Getting on stage with a band is fine, because you are a mini-army and your mates have your back if things are going south. You have people to moan about bad gigs with. After the first incarnation of my former band Bandit The Panther broke up, I went into hibernation. I was on the dole, living at my parents while my then girlfriend went to live in Ireland for a bit and I ended up spending a lot of time at home writing and recording. Bomb the Music Industry! had shown me that I could record and release music on my own. My head wasn’t happy with prospect of playing alone though. I had been into Billy Bragg for a while and liked a lot of his lyricism and style. However, it was watching the bonus DVD that came with the 2006 re-release of ‘The Internationale’, showing Bragg in 1988 playing his style of fast, lyrically intricate folk-punk to a crowd in the old Soviet Union that kicked me into gear. People were reacting to one guy playing solo – but it was someone playing upbeat, angry intense music, rather than the usual insipid acoustic dross you’d usually find down the local. Playing solo has taught me so much about performing and connecting with a crowd, when you don’t have other people onstage with you to rely on.

Sophie Porter – Self Titled EP
Norwich’s Sophie Porter only released one solo EP in 2012, before joining a few other bands, notably Ducking Punches. The EP is great. Sophie’s songwriting and voice covers a lot of emotional ground fantastically – check out ‘Staples’ for something especially sad, angry and raw. This EP is notable for me for two reasons. First, it nicely sums up the UK acoustic punk scene around 2011–2014, full of fantastic troubadours playing shows in kitchens, shouting incisive socio-political lyrics over furious acoustic strumming. It’s a scene I loved being a part of and Sophie Porter’s EP is one of the first records that springs to mind from that period (notable nods to ‘Anchors Up’ by Emma Hallows, ‘Damsel’ by Damsel, ‘Just Another Plea For A Better Tomorrow’ by Ash Victim and ‘From The First Chord’ by Lets Go Nowhere). However, Sophie gets the nod as it was released by Aaahh!!! Real Records. It was the first time I was aware of the label, meeting head man Ian a little later. Having a record out on an indie label was always a big goal for me and so far Aaah!!! Real have made me a happy guy by releasing several Bandit The Panther records, as well as my 2016 EP ‘Osbourne Heights’.

Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel Of Love
Displaying emotion doesn’t come naturally to me, aside from a tendency to wallow in self-loathing. I find positivity a difficult thing to approach – after hearing a demo of ‘I’m Not Alright, Not Really’, for what became the Osbourne Heights EP, my mum looked at me and said ‘this is really sad’. I managed to bum out my own mum by writing songs! ‘Tunnel of Love’ encouraged me to turn the light on myself a bit more and to explore more romantic and personal themes. Bruce Springsteen writes about the breakup of his marriage, what it means to question yourself and be vulnerable. Songs like ‘When You’re Alone’ and ‘Walk Like A Man’ speak to me, acknowledging that other people have same fears and worries I do and noting that sometimes you just have to be honest about what’s going on in your head.

Stream and download Joe Sullivan & The Happiness Werewolves music here: http://music.real-records.co.uk/album/osborne-heights

Like Joe Sullivan & The Happiness Werewolves here: https://www.facebook.com/joesullivanmusic/

Album Review: 1-2-3-4 Songs by The Hallingtons

My favourite Norwegian pop punks The Hallingtons returned in October with a brand new EP. Titled 1-2-3-4 Songs and released on Monster Zero, it promised some more top notch Ramones inspired pop punk gems. Looking over the tracklisting on the EP I'm quick to assume that this is going to be a pop punk whirlwind with all four songs on the release coming in at less than two minutes in length. This should be fun!

1-2-3-4 Songs begins with Annie T. I'm actually kind of reminded of The Undertones song Here Comes The Summer here, which is no bad thing. It's a simple and light hearted song that will bring a smile to your face whilst you bop along to the infectious beat. It's about having a big crush on the girl on the TV. Up next is Shithouse. Where Annie T was more of a softer, cheerier track, Shithouse definitely falls into the punk side of the pop punk sound. Musically it's very fast and the vocals are more aggressive. Despite only being one minute and seventeen seconds long it packs one hell of a punch, no second is wasted. As with all the best pop punk songs, there are plenty of "whoa-oh" moments for the listener to gleefully shout along too. The Hallingtons swap around the pop punk sound again on the penultimate song Library Girl. It falls excellently into that style that mixes The Ramones and The Beach Boys that The Queers played so well. Library Girl is a song about having a crush for the girl in the library and visiting just to see her. Doing things that you normally wouldn't just for the chance to see that person you've fallen hard for is something I'm sure we can all relate to. The last track on 1-2-3-4 Songs is titled She's So Cool. This is my favourite song on the EP, it mixes fast pop punk with sugary sweet vocals to stunning effect. It's incredibly catchy and you'll be singing the chorus of the song for days. It's another song about a girl and thinking that she's great despite any flaws she might have. Lyrically it's kind of silly but it's just a crazy amount of fun that you'll be, again, smiling from start to finish.

1-2-3-4 is short and sweet and utterly fantastic. I don't really have much more to say than that. If you're a fan of The Ramones, Teenage Bottlerocket, Masked Intruder, The Queers or any other pop punk of that ilk you should be checking out The Hallingtons.

Stream and download 1-2-3-4 Songs here: https://thehallingtons.bandcamp.com/

Like The Hallingtons here: https://www.facebook.com/hallingtons/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Fortitude by Arms and Hearts (by Richard Mair)

Named after a fan favourite Hold Steady B-Side it's no surprise that singer-song writer Steve Millar has delivered a delightful duo of vocal led gems that evoke the feeling of the Springsteen influenced bar band, The Gaslight Anthem or Chuck Ragan. Whereas these aforementioned acts may be the epitome of a nostalgic American dream, Steve produces songs that conjure the feeling of the rainy northern city of Manchester.

Lead track "Fortitude" is perhaps the most upbeat of the two musically with beautifully descriptive lyrics. It's a superb angst driven song where Steve's lyrics are impassioned and yearn to be sung along with, with plenty of fist in the air moments driven by the echo-ey drum beats.

Second track "Dagger Eyes" has a real Chuck Ragan tinge to it, particularly how it's paced and its vulnerability - it sounds like a song that could have been included on the legendary "Feast or Famine". It's very much stripped down in the first half with the vocal delivery providing most of the tone and melody. It feels isolated like a cold winters walk through dense woods during a crisp sunset; it's a truly remarkable feat to produce such feelings through song!

Finally the production of both songs is remarkable; every tiny detail is so vivid. Even more so the sheer epic feeling created by the drumming is very evocative of the production levels of Simon & Garfunkel's seminal "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album. Again this level of quality helps set Arms and Hearts above many contemporaries.

If you are looking for something to warm the heart in cold winter months this is a good shout and, even though it's only two tracks, it's one you'll repeat over and over again. Existing fans will no doubt lap this up, however if you are a fan of the likes of Brian Fallon, Frank Turner and Chuck Ragan this is one you have to check out!

Stream and download Fortitude here: https://realghostrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fortitude

Like Arms and Hearts here: https://www.facebook.com/ArmsandHearts/

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Album Review: Tuning Out by Wicked Bears

Wicked Bears are a three piece pop punk band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Featuring Casey Keele on vocals and bass, Nick Fleming on guitar and vocals and Ken Vallejos on drums and vocals, Wicked Bears recently released their debut full length album on Hidden Home Records. Titled Tuning Out, the ten song release promised to be a lot of fun.

Tuning Out begins with the song 2049. The track wastes no time in laying down some fast buzzsaw guitars, letting you know exactly what to expect from the band. Fast pop punk in a similar vein to Teeange Bottlerocket and Masked Intruder. 2049 takes a look at life in the future and still feeling like you want to escape from your life. What really attracted me to the song was the tempo and melody. It's fast paced and full of so much energy. The music goes along at a rapid pace whilst Keele's vocals deliver a fantastic melody. Following 2014 is the album's title track Tuning Out. Tuning Out follows a similar musical style to the opening song with the guitars and drums blasting us through the song, with Keele's vocals again laying down the melody. At the halfway mark there is a fantastic breakdown section in the song with the drums and a rumbling bass line shining through along with some great harmonies. Tuning Out is about modern entertainment and how it's brainwashing people. The third song is titled No Vacancy. To go along with the Wicked Bears pop punk sound there is a nice addition of some keys provided by Christian Lucy. This adds another interesting element to the Wicked Bears sound. The addition of some gang vocals in the chorus is also great, giving the song a bigger and more inclusive feel.

What a great track the fourth song Nickel Arcade is! It hooks you immediately with its fast paced opening with its simple technique of guitar and vocals. Straightaway Nickel Arcade is jam packed with an irresistible energy that's impossible not to get swept away in. The songwriting here is so smart. At first listen you just think that this is a song about hanging out with your mates but if you look deeper into the song it turns out it's actually a look at the current financial climate that the band don't necessarily agree with. Reebok Classics is up next and is a track where things are slowed down slightly. This is one of Wicked Bears more anthemic tracks with a chorus that especially needs to be sung along with. The drum and bass playing is again given a chance to shine on here with Vallejos' drumming in particular really standing out on the song. I think that the sixth song We Got Robbed is my favourite on Tuning Out. It's an interesting song in that it sounds very upbeat but it's actually a story about having their stuff stolen in Berkley. This is a song that just cries out for crowd participation with an incredibly catchy chorus and a delightful breakdown. This was lots of fun. The seventh song is named Cameron. Cameron falls into a more powerpop style of music. The keys are back on this song adding something to the sound that really helps Wicked Bears stand out. The song is about not understanding why someone loves death metal music but really wanting to.

Up next is 60 WPM. 60 WPM is about feeling stuck and being unhappy in your job and daydreaming about living another life. I like how the song slowly intensifies throughout its duration. It is only subtle but it works really well within the song. Wicked Bears do an amazing job of painting a picture in their songs. Their lyrics allow you to imagine what they're singing about. In my head I can kind of imagine a music video for this song. The penultimate song is titled Chattering Teeth. Somewhat surprisingly Chattering Teeth is an acoustic song with a tiny bit of keys for effect. There seems to be more emotion in Keele's voice here, though that may just be because the buzzsaw guitars aren't accompanying him on this song. It does make you realise what a great voice he has here though. Last up is Mega Powers. The full band are back here to finish Tuning Out with a big flourish. That is something that they certainly do. Mega Powers is a relentless pop punk track that never lowers its intensity. It feels like there is lot more emphasis on the music here with the drums in particular taking a real beating. I absolutely loved the final couple of lines of the song that go "Break The Fourth Wall For No Reason: 'Hello! We Hope You Like Our Show, And We Hope You Have A Good Weekend!'" It's just a really fun and quirky way to finish the album.

Wicked Bears have put out one of my favourite pop punk records of the year. There are a lot of bands in the pop punk scene and sometimes they can all sound a bit samey. Wicked Bears however have somehow found a way to sound fresh and exciting whilst not straying too far from what we all love about pop punk music. If Wicked Bears aren't currently on your radar I strongly suggest that you make the effort to put them on there. Dead in the middle, in the cross hairs. Seriously, don't sleep on this band. They're terrific.

Stream and download Tuning Out here: https://wickedbears.bandcamp.com/

Like Wicked Bears here: https://www.facebook.com/WickedBearsSLC/

This review was written by Colin Clark.