Gig Review: No Trigger at The Borderline 2/8/17

August is the most incredible time for punk gigs in the UK as so many of the worlds best bands are in the country for festivals such as Rebellion and Boomtown, as well as the European festival Punk Rock Holiday. Just in one week we were seeing Bad Religion, Gnarwolves, No Trigger, River Jumpers, Pennywise, Face To Face, Good Riddance, Teenage Bottlerocket. Also there were gigs for 88 Fingers Louie, Pears, Great Cynics, Propagandhi, Martha and Petrol Girls. Plus later in the month The Planet Smashers, The Dreadnoughts and Street Dogs are all playing shows! It's a ridiculously good month.

The night before the night I'm currently blogging about was Bad Religion with support from Gnarwolves (which Emma brilliantly reviewed here) at The Forum. At that show we bumped into Jack from Ships Down and he mentioned that he was going to No Trigger (the show I'm about to start reviewing). I was also going to the show but Emma (who is also my photographer) was, probably wisely, taking a night off so I planned to meet up with Jack - he would be my gig buddy for the evening.

No Trigger were playing at The Borderline in Soho and were supported by KidBrother and River Jumpers. The Borderline has long been one of my favourite venues in London, not least because of its close vicinity to Chipotle. It's been almost two years since I've been to The Borderline and I was a little taken aback as I made my way down the stairs into the basement venue. They've had a makeover and the first thing that I noticed was that the bar has moved. Also gone are the luxurious red colours and in their place is just black, black everywhere. To quote Jack, the place is the "swankiest" punk show I've ever been to. Now onto the music.

It's also been almost two years since I've seen Brighton's River Jumpers. During that time they've had another line-up reshuffle with a couple of older members of the band rejoining lead singer Nicholas and two of the newest members of the band to create a bit of a River Jumpers supergroup. It doesn't really matter which incarnation of the five piece is on stage because they always hit the spot when I see them live. Playing a set mixed with songs from their first two releases Words, Chords and Irony and Chapters, as well as at least three new songs from an upcoming release, it's a fantastic set. With this upcoming release in the pipeline one has to assume this will make River Jumpers much more active again - this is only a good thing as they are one of the best bands in the scene. Finishing with the classic Five Doors Down, this set left me wanting much more from the band.

Next up were KidBrother, a five piece band from London. I have to admit that I knew absolutely nothing of KidBrother before the evening began and was kind of aprehensive about whether or not I would enjoy their set when they began. The band's lead singer was very static and I found myself wondering if this was going to be a boring set. I don't know if it was part of the stage show or he just grew in confidence but he was like a man transformed as he bounded around the stage. Musically KidBrother weren't like any band that I'm used to seeing. There were elements of pop punk, some hardcore and a healthy dose of emo all mixed into their songs. They also featured dual vocals as the bass player split singing duties. He had a voice like no other that I've heard before, it was a higher pitch and really gave KidBrother's music a sense of individuality. I definitely got the sense at the end of KidBrothers set that they'd gained many new fans following a fantastic set.

Next up was No Trigger. This was a pretty monumental gig for the five piece from Boston as not only was it their first UK show in five years but it was their first show anywhere in two years. Now if I was to not do anything for two years I'd be extremly rusty, I imagine this is the case for most people reading this. Clearly this not the case for No Trigger as they were superb. The Borderline was now pretty full, especially for a Wednesday night when there was so much happening in London this week and it being an early show. Lots of people were so excited to see No Trigger and when the band began their opening song, Checkmate, the crowd came alive. Fists were in the air and lyrics were shouted along. This obviously continued throughout the entire set as they played some tracks from their albums Canyoneer and Tycoon, that many people had waited a long time to hear live. There was also a lovely exclusive for us as they played songs from their brand new EP, Adult Braces. As this was their first live show in two years, this was obviously the first time they've been played live for a crowd. That went down stupendously. New songs can sometimes kill a crowd if nobody has listened to them and learnt the words yet, this wasn't the case. No Trigger have a dedicated fan base. No Trigger absolutely smashed it. As someone who had never seen them live before but had only ever heard positive things, I have to say they exceeded all expectations that I had. This was one of those sets that reminds me why I love small basement punk shows so much - it's a bunch of people, friends, strangers, associates coming together, being friendly and shouting along to their favourite songs. It's a great time. I hope No Trigger aren't away for so long again as now I've seen them once I have the itch and wish to see them many more times.

This gig review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Furniture For Modern Living by Sounds Of Swami

Furniture For Modern Living is the second album from Sounds Of Swami. The West Yorkshire based four piece have been around for a while now so it really seems about time they release a follow up to their debut self titled album which was released in 2013.

The ten track album begins with the song Lull. This kind of feels like an introduction to the album rather than a fully fledged track and it eases you into Furniture For Modern Living nicely. The beginning of the song features a simple guitar riff and some haunting vocals. There is just a whole load of eeriness in the song. It's kind of unsettling until that moment when things explode into life. The second song is named Guillotine and this is where you really get a proper feel of the Sounds Of Swami sound. The technical guitar playing by Luke Yates and Kurt Wood gets the ball rolling and really wakes you up. The vocals on the song switch nicely between melodic and more of a punchy in your face style. The song goes through a series of highs and lows that will have you in a trance one minute before making you lose your mind the next. Kill Me Already opens with a wall of anger. With a title like that it had to really. After that angry beginning you'd expect the next portion of the song to follow suit but surprisingly things become quite calm before slowly building towards some of the more furious moments of the track. I always enjoy when a song surprises me so kudos to Sounds Of Swami for that. Up next is Rome Won't Wait. This has a very interesting beginning with the vocals going off on two different melodic structures creating an ear catching sound. This style continues throughout the song, making it difficult to zone out from the track - not that you would want to, it's a cracker. Twisting My Arm is a more conventional melodic hardcore track. Rob Gilbert's bass and Joe Dimuantes' drums are given more of a chance to shine through on the recording of the song and shows what talented musicians they are. I enjoyed the dual vocalists here with one taking the softer parts and the other doing some intense shouting. The two styles work really well together, with the softer vocal giving the harder an added emphasis when it comes into play.

The second half of the album begins with a song named Palava (one of my favourite words). The track is about doing something wrong and not being able to believe that you did it. The switching between soft and intense again works wonders with the two styles complimenting each other wonderfully. Bigger Pictures is a mesmerising if somewhat disjointed track. It's a solely instrumental track which is surprising song ordering at this stage of Furniture For Modern Living. The song, like most Sounds Of Swami songs, takes you on a series of ups and downs. The builds are fantastic, really making you believe the song is about to explode into life before things just calm down again. The end of the track sees the sound switch to some good old distortion that closes out the song in a great dirty, mucky, grungy way. The eighth song, Take Take Take, starts off with a ferocious bang. It's like being struck in the face by a cannonball and not having the time to protect yourself. That's how hard that song starts off. Then it really drops off, going almost silent before building up to another cannonball assault. The song is an attack on the consumer culture that is now such a big part of our society. Sounds Of Swami talk about how everyone is always willing to take and the majority of the time people are taking what they simply don't need. The penultimate song on the album is New Wounds. The guitar work in the opening verse is very reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys, it's rough, raw and very fast. The theme of intensity continues and at time is amplified to even higher levels. I particularly enjoyed the section of the song where some more melodic harmonies joined in with the primal hardcore screaming that was happening. Finally we have the six minute epic Tough Love. Gone are the disjointed, technical guitars and hardcore screaming and in its place with have a beautiful crafted melodic masterpiece that builds wonderfully towards its big finale. On my first listen of the track I was waiting for the poo to go down and there were plenty of times when it felt like that big moment had arrived but instead the band displayed an excellent restraint and control in their songwriting. This was a pleasant change of pace from the previous tracks and a great way to finish the album.

Pre-order Furniture For Modern Living here: https://soundsofswami.bandcamp.com/album/furniture-for-modern-living

Like Sounds Of Swami here: https://www.facebook.com/soundsofswami/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Gig Review: Pennywise at Shepherd's Bush Empire 4/8/17

Punk week continued and finished for Emma and I with a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. This show featured Pennywise headlining an absolutely stacked bill with Face To Face, Good Riddance and Teenage Bottlerocket. If you're a fan of 90s punk rock then that line-up is an absolute dream! Normally you would have to pay a huge festival price to see that kind of line up. And tonight's price was only £25, admittedly more than we would usually pay for a gig but still - did I mention the line up?!

First up were Wyoming pop punks Teenage Bottlerocket. After a difficult time over the past couple of years following the tragic death of Bottlerocket drummer and guitarist Ray's twin brother Brandon, it was absolutely brilliant to see them back on stage. On a big stage that a band with such talent deserve to be playing on no less. Taking to the stage Ray, Kody, Miguel and new drummer Darren Chewka, from Canadian band Old Wives, unleashed a 30 minute pop punk assault. Beginning as always with Freak Out, Teenage Bottlerocket tore through a fourteen song set spanning tracks from their entire discography. Highlights for me were Radio, Stupid Games, Bigger Than Kiss, Skate Or Die and They Call Me Steve but let's be honest the whole set was really a highlight. I've seen Teenage Bottlerocket and their musical contemporaries many times over the years and I'm always so amazed at the speed they play with barely any rest, it's incredible.

Up next were Good Riddance, the four piece from Santa Cruz, California. Of the four bands on the bill they were probably the one I knew the least. Combining fast hardcore punk and adding a whole heap of melody, Good Riddance are one of the most influential bands in the scene and we discovered that they have a huge fan base in the UK. As soon as they began their set a decent size pit opened up, which I must admit took me slightly by surprise. It's rare for a pit to open up before 8pm. The band had a lot of energy on the stage with bass player Chuck Platt really standing out. Like I said, I'm not overly familiar with Good Riddance's music but it was great to hear a couple of tracks that I do know and enjoy - Libertine and One For The Braves went down an absolute treat. Good Riddance have been doing this for a long time now and it was really great to see how appreciative they were of the crowd's reaction to their set. Great live band and real humble guys.

Victorville, California's Face To Face were the next band to take to the stage and wasted no time in launching into the hits with You Done Nothing starting their set off with a bang. Unfortunately these legends only had a half an hour set, but they tried their best to pack as much into it as they could. When you've been a band for such a long time and have released so much music over the years you'll never be able to please everyone with your setlist so Face To Face stuck with a mainly old school set. As is the way, old stuff always goes down best - so this did please many people in Shepherd's Bush. Classics such as Blind, Disconnected and Walk The Walk were played as well as newer tracks such as Bent But Not Broken and Double Crossed, that also went down a treat. Face To Face are one of those bands I love but never listen to anywhere near enough. Live they were just fantastic, this show definitely eclipsed my previous time seeing them back in 2013. Trevor Keith is a great frontman and has a great vocal for live shows. He also told a nice story about being in Shepherd's Bush Empire in the past watching the late great Joe Strummer play and deciding that one day he also wanted to play here. Dreams do come true, even after being a band for 25 years.

Completing a trio of legendary Californian punk bands were the night's headliners, Pennywise. The band, from Hermosa Beach, have been going since 1988 and this quite incredibly was my first time seeing them play a headline show. From the opening chord of their opening song the crowd instantly went nuts. We thought we were in a decent spot, quite close to the front but far enough away from any of the pit craziness. NOPE! Instantly I found myself having to push back against a horde of folk to prevent me getting squashed against a barrier. This was great fun! Pennywise's music has this great ability to just let you lose control and lose all of your frustrations. Pennywise and particularly lead singer Jim Lindberg's songwriting has always focussed on having a positive mental attitude, finding a way to better yourself and making a change to the negative things that surround you. This way of thinking is mentioned many times during the set and the music really does just make me feel uplifted. It was a fantastic set but there was one thing that I'm still not sure if I liked or disliked. The band played four covers (Minor Threat by Minor Threat, Do What You Want by Bad Religion, Fight For Your Right To Party by The Beastie Boys, Stand By Me by Ben E. King), for a band with eleven full length albums this seemed like a lot of covers. On the other hand it was really fun to hear these songs and sing along. It does feel like it's a nice little treat for a live show that you don't get when you listen to Pennywise records. Perhaps I did like it. Of course Fuck Authority got one of the biggest reactions and shout-a-longs - that's one of those classic punk songs you know all the words to even if you don't necessarily like Pennywise. The penultimate song was Broken which the band dedicated to the Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park who recently passed away, with Jim saying that he was "a real sweet dude." And of course they finished up the night with Bro Hymn. A song dedicated to all of their fallen friends. It's no great surprise that the "whoa-oh" moments got the biggest bits of crowd participation of the whole night. As a little side note, Jim's neighbours from California were holidaying in London and were attending the show. During Bro Hymn the neighbours invaded the stage to sing along with the band. That was a nice moment.

What a great night it was. I'm not usually one who really enjoys going to bigger venues but I have to say that this was one of the most enjoyable "bigger venue" shows I've been to in some time. All four bands were superb and the three supports could easily have been headline act in their own right. As much as I love new bands, it's great to sometimes take a trip down memory lane and remember the bands that got you where you are today.

This gig review was written by Colin Clark.

Gig Review: Bad Religion at The Forum, Kentish Town 1/8/17 (by Emma Prew)

Every music fan has a still-to-see-live bucket list of their favourite bands. Mine has got increasingly shorter over the past couple of years and I successfully ticked another of the bands off of my list on Tuesday – Bad Religion. I've never been what you would call a huge Bad Religion fan, if I was I would have seen them already, but I know that they are deservedly one of the biggest bands in punk rock history and I always love listening to them (not least at Christmas!). So when Bad Religion announced that they would be playing just two UK headline shows, ahead of their appearance at Rebellion Festival this year, I snapped up tickets for the London show.

I was a little surprised when a band born out of the underground UK punk scene was announced as being the one and only support for the gig – not because they didn’t deserve it but because these sorts of ‘big’ punk shows don’t always showcase the great UK scene. Gnarwolves are the band I’m talking about here and I was very much looking forward to seeing the Brighton-based trio for the third time. The band opened their 30 minute set with Straight Jacket, a song off the new album, Outsiders, before proceeding with some older tracks. If the size of the stage, or the band they were opening for, phased the band they did well to not let it show. It was a few songs into their set before vocalist and guitarist, Thom, spoke to the, now pretty big, Kentish Town crowd and acknowledged just how stoked they were to be playing with Bad Religion – and you could tell he meant it. That’s every punk band’s dream gig, right? Gnarwolves put on a great performance, including the ‘hits’ Smoking Kills and Bottle To Bottle, and I loved it but, I have to say, the crowd was disappointingly unanimated. It was a little odd because they enthusiastically whooped and clapped at the end of each song so it’s almost like they were being overly polite or perhaps just saving themselves for the main event… 

Gnarwolves’ DIY-style banner (which was great by the way) was taken down and the infamous Bad Religion logo was revealed, as if we didn’t know it was there anyway – definitely one of the most iconic and controversial yet simple logos in the world of punk. And before long the band themselves took to the stage. Bursting into American Jesus from the 1993 album Recipe For Hate, the Forum crowd was certainly more vocal and wholeheartedly enthusiastic for the main act! It’s crazy to think that that song was released when I was two years old but even more of their back catalogue and many of the songs that appeared in their set – I Want To Conquer The World, No Control, We’re Only Gonna Die and 21st Century (Digital Boy) to name but a few – were released well before I was born, as well. However, something I love about Bad Religion is that their songs sound simply timeless – and this was very apparent in their live set list, with songs spanning their 16 album, 37 year career. Frontman Greg Graffin noted how some of the songs that they wrote 25 years ago are actually more relevant today – think politics and general world views and you’ll see what he means. He also mentioned that the first time they played in London was in 1989! I am very glad that they have continued to return and I’m pretty sure that the whole of The Forum on Tuesday night would agree. This is a band whose members are pretty much all in their 50s and they play with such energy and force that you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a bunch of enthusiastic twenty-somethings. Of course, I have to mention bassist Jay Bentley as he’s such fun to watch on stage, bouncing around the place without a care in the world (something he also does when playing in covers supergroup, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes). But what really impressed me was Greg’s voice. He has such a distinct vocal on record and I’m pleased to say that this is the real deal and he sounds that good live – not bad at all for his age! The are so many great songs in a Bad Religion set list – it’s easy to forget just how many amazing songs they have – and for each and every one of those songs there were fists in the air, huge singalongs and even one large circle pit towards the end.

Bad Religion are one of the very best punk bands. Ever. And they were definitely well worth the wait.

This gig review was written by Emma Prew.

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Cover Songs

Recently I attended a ska punk festival. As is seemingly the rule for ska bands, many covers were played. This got me thinking about some of my favourite covers by bands that aren't ska bands and I decided to do a top ten. I also decided not to put in cover bands like Me First and the Gimme Gimmes because covers are what they do! This was kind of hard to do and I realise my choices are probably completely different to yours, -I'd be interested to know what everyone else's top ten punk covers are.

Iron Chic - Bonzo Goes To Bitburg (The Ramones)

Many, many, many bands have covered The Ramones. It makes sense as they are the godfathers and are therefore one of the most influential punk bands ever. It's mostly pop punk bands such as Screeching Weasel and The Queers that cover them so it is refreshing to hear a band like Iron Chic, who play a slower and more gruff punk style, cover The Ramones. This is actually my favourite Ramones song so to hear one of my favourite bands cover it and cover it well, it's just the best.

Muncie Girls - Pet Sematary (The Ramones)

Of course there were going to be multiple Ramones songs on this list - it's the Ramones! UK indie pop punk trio Muncie Girls' version of this classic, inspired by a Stephen King novel, is superb. This cover came about after the Muncie Girls performed a set as the Ramones at a special show a couple of years back and this song then eventually got recorded and released on a split with Sandlotkids.

No Use For A Name - Fairytale Of New York (The Pogues/Kirsty MacColl)

This Christmas classic has been covered a few times by punk rockers over the years. Other than No Use For A Name's version, two that come to mind are a version by Chewing On Tinfoil and another by Chuck Ragan and Emily Barker. I've chosen the NUFAN version ahead of those two due to its difference from the more traditional styles of those other two acts. NUFAN have given it a skate punk feel without completely straying away from the charm of the song that makes it such a massive hit.

MXPX - Summer Of 69 (Bryan Adams)

This song always makes me smile for a multitude of reasons. Firstly because the original is my mum's ringtone and it would go off all the time so this song always reminds me of that. Also because this MXPX version was part of the soundtrack to my college summers and that's a period of my life I have very fond memories of. MXPX haven't done a whole lot to change the song, just upped the tempo and added a whole ton of energy to the song, which makes it hard to not get pumped up by it.

The Unseen - Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)

I love The Unseen. They are one of few bands that are super screamy but I still adore. This cover from the album State Of Discontent gives the original a real shot in the arm. Mark Unseen's vocals are so harsh and angry it's hard not to get caught up in the song and feel the urge to punch a hole in a wall.

Lagwagon - Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)

Lagwagon aren't the first band to ever cover Brown Eyed Girl and almost certainly won't be the last. It's such a joyous sounding song that it's difficult not to smile whenever hearing it live. Now imagine one of your favourite bands playing this at a gig and singing along to it with all of your friends. What a wonderful time that is!

Allister - I Want It That Way (Backstreet Boys)

Things I never expected to do when I started CPRW, no.4235 - Talk about the Backstreet Boys. Allister are my absolute favourite of the early 2000s pop punk scene. I Want It That Way is a song that is surely ingrained in the head of anyone between the ages of 15 to 35 who has had access to hearing in their life. As pop songs go it's got to be one of the most well known songs ever, love it or hate it - you know it. That means that you'll instantly know it and will be singing along whenever you hear it. Smart song choice for a cover.

The Bouncing Souls - Lean On Sheena (Avoid One Thing)

You know you do a cover well when a lot of people, even big fans of your band, don't realise that the song is actually a cover. That's certainly the case for The Bouncing Souls version of Avoid One Thing's Lean On Sheena. The song has become one of the Souls most popular amongst their fans, which is saying something when you consider just how many great songs the Souls have in their arsenal. Not straying too far from the original but giving it The Bouncing Souls treatment, I would argue that this is better than the original.

Hot Water Music - Radio (Alkaline Trio)

The BYO Split Series was great. It featured some of the biggest names in punk rock pairing up for a release and covering each other's songs. One of the releases featured Hot Water Music and Alkaline Trio. What a pairing that is! Radio is one of my all time favourite songs so Hot Water Music were going to have to do something quite special to do it justice. The Gainesville legends don't do too much - they give it a bit of the Hot Water Music guitar treatment and add more dual vocals rather than Matt Skiba's solo outing. The dual vocals give what's already a bit of an epic song and even bigger sound.

Dropkick Murphys - Working (Cock Sparrer)

These bands are a match made in heaven… working class heaven. Legendary UK oi! band Cock Sparrer's anthem Working is about going to work whilst also signing on for benefits. It's about doing what you can to try and get on in life. The Dropkick Murphys have always been about supporting workers rights and have a background in oi! music before the folk and Celtic music took over their sound so it seems completely natural that the band would cover this legendary track.

Album Review: The Black Museum by Lay It On The Line (by Dan Peters)

New School, Old School.

I realise that as an impartial reviewer of punk rock music I should remain unbiased and see the merits of all forms of punk rock but unfortunately people don’t pay enough to be unbiased or to overcome my dislike of certain trends in punk. One that I wish had never spawned into existence is what I only know to call Pseudo Metal. It’s that brand of Hardcore that sounds like Djent-based heavy metal but the guys are playing a punk show and wearing dickies so the punk kids are confused and the metallers don’t want them because they already have Djent and heavy metal. I don’t like that style of Hardcore.

I like my Hardcore melodic and gritty and for it to have a real message behind it. I want it to be powerful but uplifting and have that sweet ass old school vibe and be fun to listen to. The kind of thing that only Frank Carter has any invested interest in making these days.

This ramble leads me nicely into The Black Museum by Lay It On The Line. A London based melodic hardcore group that I’m surprised I’ve only just heard of considering we’ve shared the same rough geolocation as bands for the last five or so years. The Black Museum is their debut album and serves up 10 brand new tracks. It’s this that serves as my very first taste of the band, having had it land on my lap from the always on point Disconnect Disconnect Records.

Things kick off and I already know I’m gonna be in comfortable territory with that double time drumming I love so much, hanging guitar feedback and chunky bass which gives way to tasty melodic riffage over first vocalist, Alice, screaming bloody murder. All of this coupled with a biting stab at corporate capitalism would work well as is but an extra nice step is second vocalist, Mike, breaking up proceedings with a gruff but tuneful middle eight. All in all, opener Level Up gives me a great insight into what to expect and I’m happy to dig in and hear more.

Lay It On The Line manage to keep things melodic whilst still being aggressive and are thoughtful, and often poetic, with their words - something that is pleasing to hear on something that could just sound like more angry ranting. Not everything is breakneck and when things calm down, on tracks like A Serious House On Serious Earth and Battery Farm Anachronism for example, it’s soothing despite the still ferocious vocals.

Standout tracks here for me are the really excellent opener for one, 120 Days, which is brutal and beautiful in equal measure and the oddly named chugging head banger, Oreo Speedwagon. Random 70s soft rock references aside, there’s a lot to love here and if you enjoy things heavy with a pinch of melody then this is the new record for you. One thing I would have like to see more of is the distinct vocal swapping found in Level Up. For the rest of the album you have Mike songs and Alice songs but nothing else with the deliberate vocal switch mid song. I’m a sucker for dual vocalists and like to see this sort of thing played up more.

Overall Lay It On The Line have managed to knock an extremely high class hardcore album out the park and if you’re looking to fill your boots in the, frankly too small these days, scene then this is a must have. Fast, aggressive, poetic, clever and driven. The Black Museum has everything you need to spark a fire under you and make your day.

Stream and download Lay It On The Line here: https://disconnectdisconnectrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-museum

Like Lay It On The Line here: https://www.facebook.com/layitontheline/

This review was written by Dan Peters.

Album Review: Good Night Memories by Quitters

They say that you should never judge a book by its cover. This is something I always try to abide by but sometimes you just have to. Recently, on holiday, Emma and I were relaxing and I was doing something I often do when I'm not doing much, searching through the discover section on Bandcamp. Flicking through I noticed an album cover with a picture of a bear waving. I had to check this out. I clicked play and thought this was pretty cool so then I checked out who I was listening to. Turns out it was a French band by the name of Quitters and the album was called Good Night Memories.

The album starts with an instrumental track named Sweet Memories. It serves as a fantastic introduction to what you can expect from Quitters musically - methodical guitar playing layered with intricate jangly riffs and some lovely pounding drums. The second track Why Should We Burn Our Lives? gets the album going properly. As soon as some gang vocals come in to start the song I know that I'm to absolutely adore this song. The words "We Raise Our Voice For The Better, We Sing Out Loud Through The Fire" get a track about fighting for something you believe in off to a great start and instantly hooks you in. There is a hint of Iron Chic in the music and a huge nod to Red City Radio in the lead singer's vocal. These two bands are in the upper echelons of gruff punk rock so this is no great surprise that there are some similarities here. This is one of my favourite songs of the year. Promises To Myself begins with a reasonably long intro with a great drum roll. The music builds and builds and when things get going you're more than ready to sing along with the band. The track is about trying to better yourself and looking back at the mistakes you've made along the way. The drumming throughout the song is superb and really drives the song forward at a decent pace. The fourth song The Brighter Shades Of Time starts off in a similar way to Why Should We Burn Our Lives? with some excellent gang vocals. The song is about looking back at a time in your life where you felt that things were better. At five minutes long this is a pretty lengthy song for a punk track, that's because the last two minutes are a musical outro. I spent the two minutes waiting for one final explosive chorus but this doesn't happen. It's a great piece of musicianship though and something quite unique. Life Inside takes us to the halfway point on Good Night Memories. This is one of the hardest hitting tracks on the album with the lead vocals being backed by some almost screamo-like harmonies. This adds an intensity to the album that we haven't yet heard. The song itself tackles the topic of finding the beauty in even the worst of places. I really like the verse "We Still Dream At Night, Still Learn From Our Mistakes, No Matter The Daylight, We'll See The World With Children Eyes."

The second half of the album starts in the same way that the first did, with an instrumental track named Harsh Memories. This is followed up by Misery. Straight away you notice a change in the tone of Quitters' music. On Misery the intensity of everything is cranked up to another level, with the drums in particular laying a foundations for a crunching hardcore track. The song is about getting fed up with people who try and bring you down and calling them out for their actions. The final couple of lines really drive home this though - "You're Just A Waste Of Time, You Weren't Worth My Life, I'll Take Back What's Mine." The eighth song on Good Night Memories is named Cold Winter. After some high-tempo guitars get the show on the road, things are slowed slightly for the first verse. This really allows the listener to immediately feel involved in the song and not get too swept away with everything that's going on. Of course things pick back up for the chorus with more of Quitters' fantastic gang vocals. This technique of changing up the tempo for the verses and chorus adds some great depth to the song and keeps you interested throughout. I like it. The guitar riff at the beginning of the penultimate song, Burn Burn, reminds me of a warning alarm going off to let you know something big is about to happen. Big is certainly the word to use. As soon as the vocals hit I'm thinking of Hot Water Music. There's an added gruff rumble to proceedings that we've not heard from Quitters so far on Good Night Memories and it just adds another fantastic element to their sound. Burn Burn is about hating the person you've become. This is without a doubt one of the hardest hitting songs on the album and will be the track that provokes the biggest mosh pits when played live. Good Night Memories finishes with the song Bad Times And Good Fights. This song reverts back to what I would call the trademark Quitters sound with its jangly guitars and instantly singable lyrics. As every last song on an album should do there is a feeling of epicness in the song, beginning with a building intro that launches the song into a fun but emotional track. It's about things not lasting forever and you can always move on from things that haven't gone so well. The harmonies in the song really make me think back to the 90s skate punk sound. This is a fantastic throwback to finish a really good album.

Good Night Memories is proof that sometimes it's okay to judge a book by its cover. Or in this case an album by its artwork. This is an astonishing album full of smart, relatable and catchy punk rock tunes. Quitters are a band that I cannot wait to hear more from in the future and I'm really hoping they find their way to London sooner rather than later so I can sing along with all of these songs!

Stream and download Good Night Memories here: https://quittersmusic.bandcamp.com/

Like Quitters here: https://www.facebook.com/quittersmusic/

This review was written by Colin Clark.