Column: CPRW Recommendations For Bandcamp Day

Tomorrow (Friday July 3rd) Bandcamp are having another day where they waive all of their fees to help support the artists on their platform. Bandcamp recognises that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of bands and artists have lost a major revenue stream due to not being able to gig. These special days have been amazingly helpful for the bands and have also brought the music community together. We’re big fans of Bandcamp here at CPRW and Marcus had the idea of each of us picking a band or release to recommend people check out tomorrow.

Self-Indulgent One-Take Woefuls (Acoustic) by Goodbye Blue Monday

If sadder versions of really sad songs is your thing then this is an EP for you! Glasgow’s Goodbye Blue Monday take three old songs and one new one and strip them back to make them so heartbreakingly beautiful you can’t help but get emotional. The songs sound so different to their rowdy, full band accompaniments and it really is a testament to Graham Lough’s incredible song writing ability. The EP is raising funds for Rad Apples and Conroy’s Basement in Dundee, home of the wonderful Make-That-A-Take Records. (This EP also comes with a trigger alert – if you’re struggling in any way, please be aware when listening to this EP).

https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-indulgent-one-take-woefuls-ep

Dead Inside by CF98 (Dan #2)

This EP is a fifteen-minute slice of punk-rock heaven. Each song is a chorus-driven hard-hitter complemented by perfect backing riffs. They also touch on great subjects such as gender stereotypes and mental health. As soon as I picked up this record, the title track (Dead Inside) resonated with me and helped me with my personal mental health issues I'm facing during lockdown. It felt like a friendly reminder that I'm not the only one feeling a little dead inside right now. If you like NOFX or Useless I.D. then don't sleep on this little EP – it's the best one I've heard so far this year!

https://cf98.bandcamp.com/album/dead-inside-2020

We Live Here by Bob Vylan

London two piece grime punk act Bob Vylan released We Live Here on June 5th. From what I've heard from it, the album is eerily relevant to the current social climate and that makes it a very important listen. It's a politically hard hitting album that will inspire, enlighten and educate anyone listening to it. If you want to hear the entire album, you have to buy it as Bob Vylan have decided not to release it in full on streaming platforms.

https://bobvylan.bandcamp.com/album/we-live-here

Structure / Average At Best by Sunliner (Emma)

At the beginning of the year, before things all went down the drain, I made a list of ten bands I was excited about in 2020 and one of those bands was Leeds-based foursome Sunliner. Formerly known as Jake & The Jellyfish, Sunliner put out their first new music under their new guise recently. With the help of Lockjaw Records, Structure / Average At Best is the name of said release and both songs are excellent singalongable melodic punk rock with lyrical content that I’m sure many will be able to relate to – think working a minimum wage job you don’t enjoy and wondering where the time goes and/or what you’re doing with your life. As with all bands, Sunliner’s plans for 2020 have been put on hold but I’m glad they were able to get these songs out. I expect 2021 will be a big year for them.

https://sunlinerband.bandcamp.com/album/structure-average-at-best-ep

Lockdown Unplugged by Ripcord Records

Lockdown Unplugged is a forty-five track acoustic compilation from Ripcord Records. It features a whole host of our favourites such as Paper Rifles, Burnt Tapes, Müg, ALLDEEPENDS, Don Blake, Codename Colin, Knife Club, Dead Neck and many more. All the acts featured recorded acoustic versions whilst in lockdown for the compilation. If forty-five acoustic tracks isn’t enough to wet your appetite then know that Lockdown Unplugged is also raising money for the mental health charity Support In Mind. If you buy the compilation on Bandcamp day, the charity will receive even more money. It’s a no-brainer purchase.

https://ripcordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lockdown-unplugged

Jilted Lover by Quaker Wedding (Marcus)

Since my job went remote, my furthest drive is now is to the “other side of town”, which in my small city is about six minutes away. Coincidentally, it’s just enough time to listen to both songs from Quaker Wedding’s first single, “Jilted Lover”. Both songs are a perfect blend of self-loathing and regret, with a gruff delivery that really hits the spot. If there are any better songs than these that have been released this year, I haven’t heard them. I’m looking forward to their debut full length “In Transit” on Salinas Records in September.

https://quakerwedding.bandcamp.com/album/jilted-lover

Heavy Seas by Misfortune Cookie (Richard)

Let’s face it, this year has been an absolute write off and whilst we should have been basking in a summer of awesome tunes and amazing gigs we’ve been reduced to thinking of what could have been. One band I feel have been affected massively by this is the wonderful Misfortune Cookie... a name that seems ever-so apt given the circumstances. Last year’s Heavy Seas was an album full of bright, big summer songs and over the course of the year would have been taking their brand of Northern punk to the masses with some high profile support slots with the likes of Signals Midwest and Strike Anywhere (I was hoping to catch them at both) as well as a stint at Manchester Punk Festival. Sadly they’ll be unable to make any new friends at any of these now cancelled shows; so if you’ve not already done so pick up a copy of one of the best albums of last year, self-isolate in your garden, grab a craft beer and immerse yourself in its wonderfulness.

https://misfortunecookie.bandcamp.com/album/heavy-seas

Covered-19 by Cherbourg Harps Assembly

Cherbourg Harps Assembly features Jan and Claire from Aberdeen bands Seas, Starry. Claire came up with the idea to cover 19 songs for an album to raise money for an animal sanctuary named Willows, which is based in the North East of Scotland. Willows looks after elderly and abused animals and relies on donations to stay afloat. Obviously, like a lot of charities and organisations, it has been hit hard by COVID-19. Among the artists covered on Covered-19 are Abba, Madonna, The Beatles, Tragical History Tour, Press Club, Stevie Nicks and Sonic Youth.

https://cherbourgharpsassembly.bandcamp.com/

Stay Home. Stay Alive. Organise. by Davey Dynamite

Whenever somebody asks me for an artist they might not have heard of to check out, I will nine times out of ten say Davey Dynamite. Their last album Holy Shit is my favourite ever. In May, Davey released a brand new song titled Stay Home. Stay Alive. Organise. It’s an acoustic track that deals with the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how the government and media are using it for their own gain. The title of the track is based off the slogan by the Poor People’sCampaign. All money made from the track will be given to Davey’s neighbourhood’s mutual aid group for services like mask/sanitiser distribution, food delivery, supporting houseless communities and paying rent. If interested, you can download the track for free now and donate here to avoid the cut that Bandcamp takes – or download it on Bandcamp day and everyone wins. 

https://daveydynamite.bandcamp.com/track/stay-home-stay-alive-organize

The Ol’ Reacharound by Monday Morning Justice (Robyn) 

We Did This Records is a DIY punk distro from South Africa, and their Bandcamp is jam-packed with excellent SA punk releases. Most recently, the Johannesburg-based band Monday Morning Justice put out an EP entitled ‘The Ol’ Reacharound’ that’s been keeping me going while we’ve all been under lockdown and unable to have any local shows. MMJ’s sound borrows from a lot of influences, mixing together folk and ska punk with a liberal dash of South African flavour. Their latest EP really shows the band at the top of their game. The people behind We Did This Records are also just lovely humans who would really appreciate your support.

https://we-did-this-records.bandcamp.com/album/the-ol-reacharound

South Somewhere Else by Nana Grizol
Athens, Georgia, indie folk punk band Nana Grizol released their new album South Somewhere Else on June 26th. Lead by former Defiance, Ohio member Theo Hilton, this is the follow up to 2018's Theo Zumm LP. A concept album inspired by growing up in Athens, South Somewhere Else is one of the most beautiful folk punk albums I've ever heard. It's a quieter and slicker sounding style than you might expect but still empowers you in ways that all the best punk albums do.

https://nanagrizol.bandcamp.com/album/south-somewhere-else

Pleasure Vision by Bacchae (Emma)

I’m ashamed to say that I only came across Washington, D.C., four-piece Bacchae when they were listed on Angry Grrrl Music Of The Indie Rock Persuasion’s 100+ Black Artists To Support On Bandcamp Day article last Bandcamp day – but I guess that was the point of the article, to check out bands you may not know! I instantly took a liking to their synth-driven raw indie punk and the album Pleasure Vision has fast become one of my favourites of the year. They’re due to play The Fest this year (if it happens) so I’m definitely going to check them out live if I can.

https://bacchae.bandcamp.com/album/pleasure-vision

New Sun EP by Wrong Life

Wrong Life is the new project from Fraser Murderburger. Due to the current lockdown restrictions delaying the recording of the debut Wrong Life, Fraser started writing the second Wrong Life album which lead to him taking a break from that to create this EP. If you're already familiar with The Murderburgers then there will be familiarity here but Wrong Life present a pop punk with a more mid-tempo and restrained approach that really allows Fraser's brilliant lyrics to shine through. If this is a little taster of what to expect from Wrong  Life then I can't wait to hear the full album.

https://wronglife.bandcamp.com/album/new-sun-ep

The Way To Bombs EP by Smiley & The Underclass

London dub punks Smiley & The Underclass released their new EP, The Way To Bombs, this week. Mixing reggae and punk rock to make empowering protest music, the four piece have been working hard on spreading their message to fans all over the world for years now. The Way To Bombs is the follow up to 2017's brilliantly received debut album Rebels Out There. Smiley & The Underclass are a band that can expertly capture the energy and passion from their live show and recreate it on record.

https://smileyandtheunderclass.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-to-the-bomb-ep

Untenable by Bad Moves (Emma)

Released just last Friday, I saw that a lot of people on Twitter were stoked for Untenable, the latest album by Bad Moves. I soon understood why when I listened to the album myself – it’s really, really good. If infectiously catchy power pop is something you might be into too then this is a must buy for Bandcamp day. It’s certainly been the spirit lifter that I’ve needed this past week and I won’t be stopping listening any time soon.

https://badmoves.bandcamp.com/album/untenable

Of course, we would be remiss not to recommend the CPRW Records catalogue during this post. So far our little label has put out six different releases raising money for five different charities – Mind, Crisis, Macmillan, Music Venue Trust and Refugee Action UK. Have you got them all yet? Bandcamp Day is a great day to complete your collection.

https://cprwrecords.bandcamp.com/

Our good friends in Burnt Tapes are also currently donating any money they make on their Bandcamp page to Black Minds Matter. For my money, they are one of the best bands in the world at the moment and are due to play The Fest in Gainesville later this year. This is a great opportunity to delve into their entire back catalogue (including their brilliant first release Wasted History) as well as two new acoustic covers and support a very worthy cause.

https://burnttapes.bandcamp.com/

If you didn’t pick them up on the last Bandcamp day, it's well worth checking out Decolonise Fest’s Bandcamp page to purchase one – or all – of their compilations. Decolonise Fest is a London-based DIY punk fest created by and for punx of colour. Comps like these are vital to diversifying your listening habits from typical all white male bands and DIY groups such as Decolonise Fest need our support and solidarity now more than ever.

https://decolonisefest.bandcamp.com/  

If you're not on the hunt for new music but do want some new threads then head to Solidarity Not Silience's Bandcamp page. Solidarity Not Silence are a group of women facing a defamation case for speaking up about the disgusting treatment of women by a well known musician. Since 2017, they have been crowd funding the legal costs of this case. If you want to help out this extremely worthy cause and have a fresh new T-shirt to wear then click the link below.

https://solidaritynotsilence.bandcamp.com/

Last but certainly not least, INiiT Records, the new label created by Our Lives In Cinema frontman and unsung hero of the UK DIY punk scene Mark Bartlett, are donating all the money they receive to organisations working for equality for those who have been deprived of it. So far INiiT Records have put out two stellar releases from Ode To Sleep and most recently High Visions. Two great acts you need to check out.

https://iniitrecords.bandcamp.com/

Album Review: St Angry by Swayze

Canada is a factory for producing incredible punk rock bands. My latest discovery from that wonderful nation is Saskatoon’s Swayze. The four piece released their EP St Angry on May 15th. After seeing a recommendation from a friend, I knew it was something I had to check out and I wasn’t disappointed.

St Angry begins with its title track. This is a great introduction to Swayze for any newcomers. It starts with a pounding drumbeat and some distorted guitars that build the song up before some a great guitar riffs and then the vocals come in. Vocally it’s gruff and raspy and not too dissimilar to Chris Cresswell of The Flatliners. Chris Cresswell is widely regarded as having one of the strongest voices in punk rock so I’m all about hearing something similar here. As St Angry progresses the track gets more and more intense. I found this captivating. As it hits its absolute peak, the song stops dead before building up slowly again for its finale. This was a great way of keep me interested in the track. Up next is Trambopoline. This track shows a more melodic side of Swayze. I believe it also uses a different vocalist as the vocal is a lot cleaner and less raspy than it was on the previous song. At almost five minutes in length, this song is a long one but it really shows off the band’s ability to play their instruments as well as constructing a well thought out track. It doesn’t feel long just for the sake of it. There are highs and lows in perfect moments that really help to get you emotionally invested in the song.

Large Island Iced Tea is a song that’s packed with energy from start to finish. The vocals are clean and drive the song forward at a great pace. I love the raspy vocals as well. For the second half of the song we are treated to a more aggressive, primal style vocal which is accompanied by softer harmonies. This is a great touch to the song that I wasn’t really expecting and really loved. The penultimate song is titled Portrait Of An Ass Grabber. Showing some great variety, this is a one minute and seventeen seconds hardcore track, allowing the band’s third singer the opportunity to shine. It’s the most aggressive song on St Angry by some distance but if you’re more into the poppier side of punk this shouldn’t put you off. The song is full of melody and plenty of moments where you can sing along. The final track is named Gorilla For Sale and features Derek Kuchirka of Me The Guts on lead vocals. This sees Swayze take on a more pop punk sound with a cleaner vocal that can hit some big notes. I found it quite interesting having a guest vocalist sing the majority of the song but it adds even more variety to the EP. The slower pace gives the song more of a big feel and makes it the perfect choice to finish the EP.

Swayze and St Angry are among my favourite discoveries of 2020. Check them out, I really think they will be one of your favourites as well.

Stream and download St Angry on Bandcamp here.

Like Swayze on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Smoking Section/Pool Noodle by Articles

Articles are a three piece from Gainesville that I very much hope to see at The Fest this year. Fingers crossed it can happen. I recently featured them on a top ten bands I’ve discovered during lockdown and I enjoyed them so much I wanted to review their latest release. In March, they released two new songs titled Smoking Section and Pool Noodle. Here’s my take on them.

Smoking Section is the more uptempo of the two tracks. The first thing that you notice is the Brendan Kelly-esque raspy vocals that give the song a great feeling of urgency. On the track, Articles deal with the topic of growing up and realising that life hasn’t gone the way that you wanted it to. They paint a great picture of being stuck in a plain office and thinking back to your days in school making big plans.

Pool Noodle is a slower track that instantly felt more serious than Smoking Section. The introduction has a powerful opening and when the vocals come in they don’t seem as urgent, focussing more on getting the message across rather than filling the track with energy. Pool Noodle is about people being radicalised into doing terrible things in the name of religion. It’s a heavy song that really makes you think.

This is a great introduction to Articles if you’re new to the band. It shows two different sides of the band and certainly left me wanting more. Since hearing this release, I’ve been spending some time going through their back catalogue and it does not disappoint.

Stream and download Smoking Section/Pool Noodle on Bandcamp here.

Like Articles on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Someday, One Day by Modern Shakes

In 2019 London’s Modern Shakes released my favourite EP of the year with their debut Murmur. Obviously not a band to rest on their laurels, the band went back into the studio in December 2019 to record their next EP, Someday, One Day. As soon as I found out about this, gee whiz I was excited. In my opinion, Modern Shakes are one of the best new bands in the UK at the moment and deserve your attention. Playing melodic pop punk music inspired by bands such as The Lawrence Arms and Banner Pilot, Modern Shakes are the perfect band for you if you’re a fan of that Fest sound.

Someday, One Day begins with the song Fair Do’s. We were lucky enough to be asked to premiere the lyric video for the song so I was already aware of how good it was before I heard the EP. Those buzzing guitars at the start of the track immediately got me excited and when Ian Crook’s unmistakable vocal comes in I knew this was going to be another cracker of an EP. Starting off in superb, high tempo fashion hooked me in right away. This really is exactly how I love my punk rock. It fills me with energy and I want nothing more than to passionately shout along with the song. Perhaps taking a little page from their friends Burnt Tapes’ playbook of referencing older material, there is a great nod to Murmur and the song Freefall. Cruising slows things down a bit for a more tender sounding Modern Shakes. This is my first time hearing the band like this and I really enjoyed it. Ian’s vocals are able to do the rousing fist in the air punk rock but he can also get you emotionally. You should also check out his solo acoustic songs in Wayfairer. The song sees the band in a reflective mood, looking at the break up of a relationship due to people changing at different speeds and how it affects them.

The third song, Chew, isn’t quite as punchy as I’ve come to expect from Modern Shakes songs. Adding some indie punk style to their sound, it shows another side of the band. Drummer Dan Conant does a fantastic job in building the intro of the sound with a powerful beat. Cruising is the song on the EP that allows the whole band to show off their skill as musicians. Bass player Sam has some intricate sounding bass lines sprinkled through the song and guitarists Ian and Ian (not a typo, two guitar playing Ians) work together brilliantly. Chew is about realising that you need to make a change in your life, even if you don’t want to admit it. The final song on Someday, One Day is titled Spinning. The song starts slow before jumping into life with a return to the more uptempo Modern Shakes sound. They have managed to do that wonderful thing of making a final track feel like a final track with a catchy melody, a chorus that grabs your attention and some wonderful builds. The song has a bit of a party feel to it. I can imagine being in a crowd of people having one last sing-along to the band. It’s a hugely relatable song about feeling stuck in a rut with your life whilst the people around you seem to be making great progress.

I knew I was going to enjoy this EP before I heard it but I didn’t expect it to blow me away just like Murmur did. The band have had a line-up change or two between EPs but have still managed to release an absolutely first class EP that should see them gain more of a following. Before I heard Someday, One Day, I would tell everyone and anyone that Modern Shakes are one of the most exciting bands in the UK punk scene and this EP has really backed up my claims. Well done guys.

Someday, One Day will be available on all platforms on 1st July. Meanwhile, stream and download Fair Do’s on Bandcamp now here.

Like Modern Shakes on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

CPRW Playlist: June 2020

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Chris, Dan, Dan#2, Emma, Lee, Marcus, Omar, Richard, Robyn and myself have been listening to in June.

Top Tens: Ten Black Artists You Need To Check Out

The current Black Lives Matter movement has made a lot of people stop and think about a lot of things, myself included. It’s quite clear that most white people have a lot to learn about the oppression that people of the black community have to deal with on a daily basis. Something that I’ve heard brought up a lot is how stupid racism is, given that so much of our culture comes from black people. Black people have played a major role in shaping popular music. I’ve been looking at my own listening habits and realised that I don’t listen to many bands that have black members. This was obviously never a conscious decision – I’ve never checked out a band because of the colour of their skin – I mostly pick new bands based on whether or not I like their artwork. That said, I’ve come to the realisation that I should make a lot more effort to check out new music from black artists. And having a platform such as CPRW, I feel like I have a responsibility to showcase more diverse acts rather than just white guys.

For this top ten I took to the Internet to research and discover some bands that I’ve never listened to before. I was very strict on myself to make sure not to include bands I had listened to and enjoyed in the past. It was also very important for me to only have bands that I genuinely liked and not to include acts just because they have black members. Please check out these ten bands and spend some time checking out more bands that aren’t just four white chaps. Music is an art for everyone and comes from all walks of life. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t make the effort to discover new, different and diverse artists.

Action/Adventure
Action/Adventure are a self described “heavy pop punk” band from Chicago, Illinois. Since forming in 2014 the five piece have been super prolific with an impressive eight releases under their belt. Their most recent is the single Tuck Everlasting. This is strong single that really shows off considerable songwriting ability. It’s a melodic pop punk song that has plenty of highs and lows and really gives you the feeling that the band are taking you on a journey.

Art Sorority
Art Sorority is the acoustic project of Daoud Tyler-Ameen. When I first listened to Art Sorority I was instantly taken aback by Daoud’s brilliant voice. It’s softer than my usual tastes enjoy when listening to acoustic music but I found it absolutely captivating. Daoud isn’t the most active with Art Sorority anymore, his most recent release is an album full of demo versions. His most recent release of fresh and finished material came out in 2014 and is named Older Boys. You should definitely spend some time checking it out. Daoud also plays drums in the band Bad Moves who just put out a new EP named Cape Henlopen.

Dirty Rotten Revenge
Another band from Illinois, Dirty Rotten Revenge come from the town of Bloomington. The four piece band play intense punk rock that has taken influences of skate, hardcore and street punk to create something quite special. I really like music to fill me with energy and Dirty Rotten Revenge certainly do that. Dirty Rotten Revenge are due to play The Fest in Gainesville at the end of the year (if it goes ahead). If I manage to get out there, I will definitely be looking to check them out live.

Joncro
Joncro are a three piece garage punk/noise rock band from Canada. Something I really enjoyed listening to Joncro was their ability to surprise me, going from quiet lo-fi songs to louder, more rambunctious tracks and playing both extremely well. They appear to be a very productive band when it comes to releasing music with a number of singles and EPs released in the past few years.

Meet Me @ The Altar
I’ve seen Meet Me @ The Altar appear on a few lists promoting black musicians and after listening to them I can completely understand why. The three piece’s take on the pop punk genre is fantastic. In vocalist Edith Johnson they have an absolute star and she’s brilliant backed up by Téa Campbell (guitars) and Ada Juarez (drums). Meet Me @ The Altar clearly have all the tools to become huge stars in the future.

Rebelmatic
Rebelmatic are a New York based four piece who have been going since 2008. Mixing soulful vocals and groovy melodies with hardcore punk, the band aren’t shy when it comes to talking about their politics. They are a powerful band who I imagine put on an incredible live show. The band are getting set to release their debut album, Ghosts In The Shadow, and it couldn’t have come at a more relevant time. Rebelmatic could be one of the most important bands of 2020.

Screaming Toenail
South London four piece Screaming Toenail are a great band to listen to if you want to educate yourself on black history that hasn’t been whitewashed. Their 2015 EP Territorealities lays down some important facts that you need to know. Musically it’s hard to pigeon hole Screaming Toenail. They fall somewhere between emo/shoe-gaze and indie rock. I wish I was aware of this band years ago as I feel like they are vital to making an important change in UK culture.

Th’sheridans
London/Zurich based pop duo Th’sheridans certainly don’t fall into my usual listening tastes but their chirpy, upbeat music really won me over. Tackling subjects such as food, dating, small towns and more recently radical softness as a response to racism and sexism, Th’sheridans aren’t afraid of covering a wide range of topics. On May 1st they released a new single named I Don’t Wanna Be Dismembered that I’ve been listening to a lot since discovering it.

Undead Generation
South Africa’s Undead Generation (formerly known as The Tsotsis) describe themselves as a “punk fusion” band with the intention of creating positive change through their music. The band take classic punk and just have fun with it, adding poppy hooks, big riffs and also some brass instruments to create their own unique style. Their 2019 album Carling, My Darling: Blood, Sweat and Beers is a brilliantly varied release that certainly deserved more attention worldwide.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Magic Summer by The Sewer Rats

I may have mentioned a few times previously about my love of German punk rock on CPRW. There are so many great bands releasing fantastic music. At the end of April, Cologne’s The Sewer Rats released their new album Magic Summer on Uncle M, Monster Zero Records and Disconnect Disconnect Records. I first became aware of The Sewer Rats thanks to last year’s Hamburg Booze Cruise Festival and have been enjoying listening to their previous album Heartbreaks & Milkshakes ever since. When Magic Summer was released I couldn’t wait to hear it.

Magic Summer begins with the song chosen to be the lead single for the album, Rejuvenate. Rejuvenate is a song about going back to the things that you loved in your youth when things as an adult become too hard. It’s a fun and positive way to begin the album and also a great way to introduce new listeners to The Sewer Rats – melodic pop punk that’s wonderfully catchy and a lot of fun. Up next is I’m Quitting My Job. It’s pretty self explanatory what the song is about so I won’t patronise you with an explanation. The song is brilliantly simple and super accessible for everyone. It’s relatable for anyone who is in a job they don’t like and singing along with people who feel the same will be really cathartic. I Don’t Wanna Go To The Dentist No More is a less upbeat song about the fear that lead singer Chris Gin has about going to the dentist. This fear is something a lot of us go through but I don’t think I’ve ever known a band to write a song about it so lots of points for originality here. This is followed up by I Don’t Wanna Go To The Shrink No More. Any guesses on what this song is about? Lyrically it’s pretty minimalist but you get the point on what it’s about. Much like I’m Quitting My Job, there’s a cathartic feel to the song as you sing along to the track.

The fifth song is title My Sweet Chun-Li. This track is about Gin’s love for the legendary Street Fighter character Chun-Li. It’s a super sweet love song for a fictional character that does show a softer side of The Sewer Rats. It’s all a bit silly but it did make me smile a lot. Nasty Cut brings the tempo of the album back up. It’s a fast and punchy song about a barbershop in Düsseldorf. Definitely the first time I’ve ever heard a song about a barbershop. I like to think the band wrote this song to ensure they get free haircuts for life at Nasty Cut. The seventh track it titled My Baby Is At Groezrock (And I Am Not). It’s about Gin’s jealousy about his girlfriend being at Groezrock Festival without him and the range of feelings and emotions that go through his mind during the weekend. It’s all a little tongue in cheek but again something I’m sure we’ve all related to in one way or another at some point in our lives. The chorus in particular is crying out for a big sing-along with The Sewer Rats in a sweaty basement somewhere. This is The Sewer Rats at their best. I literally have no idea what Total Creep is about but it’s, again, a massively fun sing-along. Something about creeps, green skin and aliens that had me grinning from ear to ear.

Choice is probably the most serious and passionate song on Magic Summer. It’s about the positives of following a vegan diet. Not just for animal rights reason but for the good of our planet. What I really like about the song is how The Sewer Rats don’t come across as preachy but instead encourage the listener to make the right decision. I Don’t Wanna Leave My Room No More is another song that’s pretty self explanatory. This is one of the sadder songs on the album, particularly on the verse but does a wonderful job in building towards a big chorus. The harmonies that finish the track are a thing of beauty. The penultimate track is Down For Life. This song is about being a punk for life and being so proud of that even if people look down on your lifestyle choice. For some people, there is a belief that being an adult means not doing the things you loved as a kid and that’s not the case at all. You can be a grown up and still love the things you loved when you were younger. This song could become a bit of an anthem amongst the punks, many of whom will relate in a big way. I know I do. The album is finished with its title track, Magic Summer. This is another of the album’s slower songs where the band reminisce about the good old days of their youth and wish they could return to it. We all remember those great summers that were non-stop fun before adulthood and responsibilities got in the way. This is a fantastic chilled out way to finish the album. I’d love to hear an acoustic version of this song at some point in the future.

Magic Summer was one of my most anticipated albums of 2020 and it most definitely didn’t disappoint. As the title might suggest, it’s an album for the summer – for singing along with your friends on a warm night. It’s such a shame everything got cancelled this year as I was really looking forward to seeing The Sewer Rats at festivals all around Europe and singing along with the band.

Stream and download Magic Summer on Bandcamp here.

Like The Sewer Rats on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.