News: The Penske File In London!

Canadian punks The Penske File are coming to London for the first time! On Tuesday the 25th September the three piece are heading to the New Cross Inn in South East London thanks to the fine folk at Be Sharp Promotions. Support is still to be announced but you can bet that they will be fantastic. The Penske File's most recent album Salvation back in April, we thought it was superb (check out our review here) and can't wait to finally see them live! Check out the event details here and buy your tickets here. It's going to be a beautiful night.

Album Review: DIY-Bother by Laserchrist

I first became aware of Laserchrist when CPRW's Robyn got all excited about a South African band living in London. I checked out their recently released new EP, DIY-Bother, and instantly loved it. I was just about to tell Paul from Be Sharp Promotions about this great new band I've been told about only to discover he'd already booked them to play their first show, supporting The Shell Corporation no less. That Paul, he's always got his finger on the pulse. I unfortunately couldn't make the show but from all reports they played a blinder. Mr Alex Wonk of Wonk Unit happened to be in the crowd for the show and enjoyed them so much that he quickly booked them for his own festival, Wonkfest. Now I'm finally getting around to reviewing DIY-Bother to let you know why I think it's such a good EP.

The EP begins with the song Oh Ethyl! In the Laserchrist online bio they say that they are influenced by Leatherface and Iron Chic. This is certainly obvious on this song. Think gruff and melodic sing-along punk rock and you get a feel for the sound of the track. Laserchrist managed to get to the chorus very quickly which is a masterstroke as this gets you invested into the song in no time at all. Throughout the song it seems to build and build, getting more urgent as it goes on, adding loads of energy to the song. What a fantastic start! The fantastic stuff continues on the following track, What's The Use? Here we have more excellent melodic gruff punk with some fantastic hooks. The guitar work on the song is a big highlight. There is a jangly style that runs alongside the melodic vocals. I'm reminded of the much missed Cornish band Bangers on this song, which is a huge compliment. Big Smoke City has a nice long introduction that eases you into the track, the guitar and drums drive the song forward while some playful bass lines inject a bit more fun to the track. Vocally it's a much more subdued style but, like the bass, it goes along with a playful melody that really caught my attention.

The penultimate song, We've Got Hopes, sees Laserchrist explore some of their less punk rock influences such as The Smashing Pumpkins and The Pixies. On this track Laserchrist take on a more technical sound with plenty of fast paced intricate guitars and a pounding drum beat. Vocally it's a lot more distorted than the previous songs but still retains a sing-along quality that I adore. Finally we have the five minute long epic Ravebird Mountain Man (Radio Silence). The song starts out with a mesmerising extended guitar introduction before the vocals come in and the tempo is upped. The song cleverly jumps between both sets of Laserchrist influences. Musically the song is full of amazing guitar solos that just blow your mind but vocally we have that gruff sing-along punk style. I kind of felt like these two different styles wouldn't work but Laserchrist pull it off brilliantly.

So yeah, DIY-Bother is a great first EP from a band who will soon be the next big thing in the London punk rock scene and probably beyond. Remember the name Laserchrist.

Stream and download DIY-Bother here: https://laserchristlondon.bandcamp.com/releases

Like Laserchrist here: https://www.facebook.com/laserchrist/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Never Gonna Die by Pennywise (by Richard Mair)

Taking 2014’s Yesterdays out of the equation due to it containing older songs from the band’s early years and the Zoli led “All Or Nothing”, “Never Gonna Die” is the first new material released by the skate punk veterans with their vocal lynchpin Jim Lindberg in 10 years!

Whilst 2012’s All Or Nothing is more than a curiosity in the band’s back catalogue and many fans liking the slight variation Zoli brings from the past formula, at times it felt like the difference between say the Descendents and All. Given Pennywise’s reluctance to play the songs live following Lindberg’s rejoining of the band, it’s obvious that the band have an enormous amount of pressure on them with the new material; it needs to show they are still relevant, show some growth but ultimately it must feel like a Pennywise album. Thankfully “Never Gonna Die” is not only an excellent addition to their back-catalogue I’d go out on a limb and say it’s possibly their finest release since 1999’s Straight Ahead.

Existing fans will undoubtedly love it. It looks and sounds exactly like a Pennywise album, yet underneath it shows a slight mellowing in the sound and a willingness to play around with more pop-punk elements; making it feel at times like The Offsping’s follow up to their own skate punk masterpiece with it evoking some elements of say “Ixnay on the Hombre” or perhaps more accurately having moments akin to the finest songs from Bad Religion’s Geffen era.

Kicking off with a slow guitar intro that has a sense of foreboding before the crashing drums ratchet up the tempo, title track “Never Gonna Die” kicks things off in typical Pennywise fashion – with driving machine-gun style guitars complemented by Jim’s familiar machine-gun style vocals. It all sounds very Pennywise and is perhaps the safest song on the album for that traditional classic “Pennywise” sound. In fact, I’d argue as an album opener it’s very reminiscent of “Greed” from “Straight Ahead”; instantly you’re on safe ground and the last 10 years of uncertainty with Pennywise wash away with each and every drum roll or anthemic sing-a-long lyric. Acting like a statement of intent, “Never Gonna Die” is somewhat of a rebirth for the band and an excellent way to kick things off; its metal tinged rhythms transporting me right back to the late ’90s in the best way possible!

“American Lies” is a pretty much straight up melodic hardcore song and maybe the most traditional hardcore sounding song on the album with its incessant beat and pace. Whilst it may seem one dimensional it’s still a blast and at 2 minutes in length doesn’t outlive its welcome! It’s clear their disenfranchisement with American politics has been a real catalyst with the band, their most vitriolic and passionate when lambasting Trump or challenging inequality; perhaps this feeling of needing to get these arguments across has helped focus Lindberg so that the songs feel punchy and angry in all the right ways.

The third and fourth songs inject more melody into proceedings. “Keep Moving On” in particular feels like a very early Pennywise song and it’s easy to see why so many people have drawn parallels with this album and one of their career highlights, “About Time”. It’s also one of the songs that reminded me of my favourite Bad Religion songs with the backing vocal “whoa-whoas” providing some depth alongside Lindberg’s snappy vocals. Complete with a nice guitar solo in the mid-section and some excellent drumming, it’s the first real standout. It’s followed by what I’d argue is their poppiest song yet. “Live While You Can” has a chorus many bands would die to write; complete with instantly classic sing-a-long vocals. It’s a proper ear worm and shows that amongst the very familiar sounding songs they are prepared to take a few risks. Again maybe an intentional nod back to “About Time”, the mantra of “I’ve got a time bomb ticking in my head” instantly conjures images of the albums cover. It’s these little touches that make the album stand out. Yes it at times feels nostalgic but also has a freshness to it.

The mid-section sees no let-up in pace; “We Set Fire” is typical of a Pennywise political class divide tune, its chugging guitars driving the main body of the song. Whilst “She Said” has a real feel of the anthem “Alien” to it, perhaps lacking the killer chorus and the anger that make it so iconic; nevertheless it’s again a reminder that this is Pennywise doing what they do best.

“Goodbye Bad Times” is another real traditional Pennywise song albeit one of the slowest on the album, its beat and melody showing a balladry-ness not traditionally associated with them but despite this it feels remarkably familiar as a Pennywise song. Maybe it’s the guitar work, maybe it’s Jim’s vocals, I don’t know. Either way it helps manage the pace of the album well, acting as a fulcrum on which the faster songs bookend it. The song also feels like recognition that the troubles of the last 10 years are over.

This is followed by “Can I Get A Little Hope”; another “true” Pennywise song. It’s another catchy song with a brilliant chorus and feels much like a song you’ve heard Pennywise commit to record many times over the years; much like the following song “Won’t Give Up The Fight”, with the most Pennywise introduction ever. Complete with gang vocals, typical us-against-the-world lyrics and an anti-establishment rhetoric, it’s a true classic and an inevitable fan favourite.

Missteps are few and far between. “Can’t Save You Now” is possibly the weakest song on the album due to its all-round generic-ness. It’s not a bad song by any stretch but doesn’t add to the album and I’d argue it would be a near flawless record without its inclusion. Likewise “All The Ways U Can Die” feels a little forced and possibly the weakest track in terms of lyrics.

The closing two tracks start with “Listen”, another hardcore banger which ups the ante with its dirty sounding guitars and Jim at his preachy best, while final song “Something New” is another socio-political rant. The irony being that this isn’t something new, it’s exactly the type of song Pennywise have built a career on – and a great closer.

“Never Gonna Die” seems a more than apt title for the album; this feels exactly like a Pennywise album should feel. Over recent years, established legendary bands such as The Descendents, Good Riddance, Millencolin and 88 Fingers Louie have released statements demonstrating how relevant they still are. This is no different. Pennywise will always have a place in many punks hearts with their instantly identifiable and iconic sound. They may have had a blip but after 10 long years of an uncertain future they are back with a bang… Never gonna die? Let’s hope so!

Like Pennywise here: https://www.facebook.com/pennywise/

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Top Tens: James from O'Holy Ghost's Top Ten Second Albums

The real test of a great band is their second album - the first one they had years to write with no-one watching, but the second one? The pressure is on, the clock is ticking, the label is paying for studio time, press are waiting to tear it apart. So when it’s done right, it can be the start of something special. This is my (James) definitive 2nd albums list… With the exception of The Ordinary Boys - which was Darren – these views are my own and not of the rest of the band.

Maybe I’ll Catch Fire - Alkaline Trio
I picked this record up from the local record shop in Norwich some time in 2002, a period in my life when most of my friends were listening to NOFX. But this was clearly the thinking man’s drinking album.

Skiba rates this as one of his least favourite Trio records, he felt it was rushed and produced under quite a bit of internal turmoil. You can hear that - but it’s definitely the start of a band finding their sound - they sounded like nothing else, totally new.

Very Proud of Ya - AFI
I came to AFI really late - I was in a hardcore band in the early 2000s and most of the guys in the band were really into AFI. it wasn’t until much later that I went back and got into this record. I mean, it’s that total SoCal Nitro Records sound that just makes you want to loose your shit.

It wasn’t until writing this that I realised Jade wasn’t even on this record apart from doing a few backing vocals - totally makes sense now. Great record, super fast, super punchy, shame they went too far down the big old ‘spooky kids’ route.

Through Being Cool - Saves The Day
Out of all my 2nd albums, this has to be my number 1. I remember someone I lived with at the time had this video sampler from Equal Vision and in the middle of all the terrible hardcore videos was this video of a bunch of kids having a house party with a band whose singer looked like a 12 year old. Little did I know that a decade and loose change later I’d be able to share a stage with them!

I know they basically ripped off Lifetime but, lyrically, this record really influenced me - that mix of super dark imagery and weird turns of phases. Really cool album.

Dude Ranch - Blink 182
The guitars may sound like a tin of bees, the vocals may be painfully out of tune (weren’t they always, Tom?) and the lyrical themes as thin as toilet paper, but this album has to be peak Blink.

I really got into this record when I’d dropped out of school and moved away from my home for some reason. Things were pretty grim and, despite all the dick jokes, this record really got me through some tough times.

As The Eternal Cowboy - Against Me!
There was a point where I pretty much modelled myself as Tom Gabel (now known as Laura Jane Grace) on the cover of this record. Patch covered black denim? Check! Carabiner? Check! Rickenbacker? Check! If only I could write songs this good.

This record sounded like a band that just wanted to get shit moving - the songs are all real short, mega scrappy and none of the drumming is in time - but there’s a thread through it all that just makes it work. And still to this day, hearing Sink, Florida, Sink in their set never fails to make me go all giddy.

Brassbound - The Ordinary Boys
Gonna repeat this - Darren picked this one. But I’m going to review it. This is exactly the kind of music I imagine Darren liking when I see pictures of him from the mid 2000s. He still sings like this. He’s funnier than Preston though.

Boys Will Be Boys will forever remind me of terrible indie club nights where I’d had too many WKD Blues.

Meat Is Murder - The Smiths
Let me get this out of the way - yes, Morrissey is an asshole. But he still made great music - especially when he was with Marr.

My uncle had a poster of this album on his wall in the late 80s, I remember seeing the cover and being totally intrigued as a young kid. It was probably remembering that poster that triggered me to pick this album up in a Virgin Megastore bargain basement bin for about £3. It was then my love affair with Moz and Marr began. I’m still super influenced by Morrissey’s writing, but goddamn does he make it hard to be a fan of him anymore. I can’t bring myself to listen to any of his new stuff, he’s just insufferable.

Miserable New Experience - Gin Blossoms
I got into Gin Blossoms from watching Empire Records, I was pretty young when I saw that film, but I remember checking out all the bands that were on the posters / stickers / records around the store. Their track Till I Hear It From You that was in the movie had the most mad hook - at the time I was mainly listening to grimes gutter punk stuff, but then I got into all this melodic mid 90s jams.

I went back and checked out this album from ’92 and it was wall to wall bangers - total understanding of melodies - although most of the tunes are all the same chords. Obviously the standout here is Hey Jealously. It was really cool when I heard (one of my favourite bands) Iron Chic’s ‘True Miserable Experience’ - their homage to this song - it opens with the same bass riff and then has the lyric ‘We were singing "Hey Jealousy’, we drove through town and let the cops chase us around”. Pretty cool.

Echoes - The Rapture
I went back and listened to this record - it’s not perfect, but totally summed up the sound of that era. We were all just a bunch of indie loving punks, but we still wanted music to dance to.

The standout track from this record, House of Jealous Lovers, still stands up as one of the greatest songs of all time - it felt like it was all going to fall apart at any moment but in its non-stop cowbell worship it totally took you back to a sweaty basement party somewhere out of your mind. Incredible record.

Owen - No Good For No One Now
Mike Kinsella is definitely still finding his feet on this record - his hushed tones over looping, circular acoustic guitar riffs still impress. His lyrics piece together neat little dioramas that really stick out in your head - “What else in this room reminds me of you? The windowsill, where the crucified pit of an avocado still sits in water”. It wouldn’t be until I Do Perceive that Mike’s songwriting really started to take him beyond just being the ‘guy that was in American Football’.

You should like O'Holy Ghost on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/oholyghost/

O'Holy Ghost are releasing their debut EP TRVTH on July 13th. To celebrate they are throwing a release show on the 26th of July at The Cavendish Arms with Sam Russo, Mean Casear and Modern Shakes. Check out the details for that here: https://www.facebook.com/events/190438044849260/

Album Review: I Think We'll Be Okay by Eat Defeat

I'll get to the conclusion of this review immediately. Eat Defeat have probably won pop punk in 2018. Their brand new album, I Think We'll Be Okay, is a masterpiece and I've no doubts that this will propel them onto a much bigger audience than the one they already enjoy. I've enjoyed following the career of the Leeds based four piece since 2012's debut album Challenges. Challenges saw the band play more of a skate punk with traces of ska style. Since then they've released two EPs, 2014's It's Always Sunny In Yorkshire and 2016's Time And Tide. These releases saw Eat Defeat shift towards the more pop punk style they're known for today. Something that I think connects all these releases is the message of positivity that is spread through their music. They write songs to empower people and help them realise that no matter what is going on in your life you are never alone.

This is also the case on the opening track on I Think We'll Be OK. The first song is titled A Little Less Than OK and brings you into the album with a great building guitar intro before lead singer and bass player Summers joins the party. The guitars and drums fade out slightly to really allow the listener to focus on what Summers is singing about and get fully invested into the song. It's about trying to stay sane whilst pushing yourself to achieve your goals and is a perfect way to open the album. The second song Duvet Day is a bit of an early curveball as it's only forty-one seconds long and that's not what I expected. It's a short song about needing to take a day off work due to things becoming too much and telling your boss what to do when they question you. I look forward to seeing this song live and singing along, particularly to the outro. Smile is a song that is completely Eat Defeat. It's so catchy, it's so uplifting, it's so wonderful. The opening guitars had me thinking of The Menzingers song Burn After Writing with perhaps a more fuller sound. It's energy, energy, energy immediately and I can't help but get swept away with it. Singing along to the repetitive lines of "I just smile" as well as the chorus of "We can do anything, we can go anywhere" when the song is played live will be such a cathartic feeling.

Nothing's Wrong is about putting on a front and pretending that everything is fine when in fact you're really struggling. I'm sure we've all been feeling bad and have responded to the question "what's wrong?" with the answer "nothing." I know I have on many occasions. The fifth song, Can't Say I'll Miss You, is another with a big, building intro that gets you pumped up for the song. The track begins with a high tempo before gradually morphing into a more melodic style. Can't Say I'll Miss You tackles the subject of false friendships coming to an end and realising it's for the better. There is a particularly special moment towards the end of the track where the music again fades away and we are treated to a superb building section with some exquisitely executed harmonies before reaching the song's big finale. Shortcuts originally appeared on Time And Tide and it's great to see it come back for I Think We'll Be Okay. This song is always one of the highlights of an Eat Defeat live set. It's about bands taking shortcuts to try and getting ahead instead of going about it by working hard and ultimately achieving whatever you would class as success in a more rewarding way. Basically - DIY or die! Shortcuts is a fast paced banger with a brilliantly catchy chorus that will have you singing along, as well as having a fantastic jump around. This song is a bit of an anthem for all the small DIY gigs that Eat Defeat play and perhaps a bit of an F-U to the bands who don't put the work in and get ahead. Running In Place is a softer song which sees Eat Defeat in more of a reflective mood. The song looks at the conflict of either staying rooted to one place or wanting to live a life of adventure and how these decisions affect your mental health. This is a really intelligently written song that makes you think.

The eighth song on I Think We'll Be OK is named Scorched Earth. This is one of my favourite tracks on an album full of excellent songs. It's a fun and uplifting song about making the most of your life even if something might feel like a bad idea to begin with. After the more thoughtful and melodic style of Running In Place, this fast paced and slightly chaotic sound really grabbed me. It's a slight contrast that works really well. For me, Eat Defeat are at their very best when they've got their foot fully on the floor and are going for it. I loved the lyrics of "Let's make bad decisions, defy traditions, embrace collisions and see where it gets us." That's a fine way to try and live your life. The penultimate song is titled Self Help (For The Helplessly Selfless). The song begins with a somewhat darker tone compared to the rest of the album, kind of making me think of Challenges era Eat Defeat. I then did a little checking and realised that this is in fact a re-recorded version of the opening the song of Challenges. Good thing I checked – I would have looked silly! The song works brilliantly within the theme of the album - taking chances and trying to live life to the fullest. Eat Defeat in my opinion saved the best song for the end on the album. The excellent Not Today, Old Friend first appeared on the Japanese version of Time And Tide but this is its first appearance on a UK release. The album also takes its name from the lyric in the chorus, "I think we'll be okay." The song is obviously about fighting back against your demons and not letting the rubbish bring you down. This is truly just a perfect song in every aspect and genuinely puts a smile on my face each every time I hear it. I do think that we'll be okay.

This is hands down THE pop punk album of 2018. Stop reading, go and listen. Smile, dance, be empowered and have a lovely day.

I Think We'll Be Okay is out on August 3rd. People from Europe can pre-order here and the UK and the rest of the world can pre-order here. 

Like Eat Defeat here: https://www.facebook.com/EatDefeat/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Life At Thirty by On My Arms

I'll never get tired of listening to Ramonescore pop punk. It takes me to my happy place, perhaps even more so than ska does. Because of this I'm always excited to check out new bands in the scene. Mainland Europe is jam packed with these great bands. A few weeks ago we checked out Austrian band Dorkatron. Today we're giving a listen to Italian four piece On My Arms. On My Arms formed in 2011 in Venice after being influenced by old school bands such as The Ramones and The Queers, as well as modern acts like Teenage Bottlerocket. Back in March they released a brand new album titled Life At Thirty. The ten track album is being released in Europe by Monster Zero, Japan by Waterslide Records and in the USA by Outloud! Records.

The first song on Life At Thirty is titled 15 + 18. Like you would expect from some Ramonescore pop punk, it's a short, sweet and fast song. It's quite a simple song lyrically which you will quickly be able to sing along to. The track is about being in a hurry to grow up when you're a kid. This song really gives you a great feel of what the album and On My Arms are all about. The second song, It's Gonna Be Now, quickly moves the album into traditional pop punk territory - girls. On this song On My Arms show off their more melodic sound and serve up some delicious harmonies. Naturally the catchiness remains and you'll be smiling along gleefully as you sing along with the chorus of "And Is Gonna Be Now." On the third song, For Life, the band find the perfect mix of tempo and melody. They manage to hook me into the song instantly with its energy and it has me listening along to the lyrics so intently. I love how On My Arms have managed to write a really energetic song without playing as fast as they possibly can.

The meaning of the fourth song I Wanna Quit My Job is self explanatory. I'm sure it could quite easily become an anthem for anyone you has a job that they dislike. The song is fast, fun and fantastic. On My Arms really hit the nail on the head with their extremely relatable lyrics. The relentless lines of "Can't make it this morning, Can't make it to wake up, 'cause my job, 'cause my boss sucks." I truly believe lead singer Ganz genuinely hates his job. The fifth song on the album is named I'm Obsessed With Posers. The song is about people in the scene who don't care about it and only see it as a way to try and make money off of other people's hard work. This feels like a more serious side of On My Arms. They show this by playing in a more measured way without many key changes or big building guitar solos.

The album's title track, Life At Thirty, is up next. Starting out with just a guitar and vocals, you immediately want to sing along with the band. As soon as the full band kicks in we are again treated with the more serious On My Arms. As you may have guessed, the song is about reaching the grand old age of thirty and the feelings that come with that milestone, in particular feeling like you can't follow your dreams anymore and you have to settle with what you now have. Up next is song seven, Baby Where Are You? Here the band revert back to the short and sweet pop punk style. The tempo is upped and it feels as if drummer Marco is hitting the tubs with a bit more ferocity. The song is about having a crush on a girl and searching for them on a night out.

Sick Of You sees a much much angrier side of On My Arms. Perhaps this is unsurprising given the song title. On the song Ganz sings at some speed and adds some spite and venom into his vocals as he talks about not wanting to be like somebody he claims to be a selfish, ignorant, sad poser. It really feels like he means every single word. The penultimate track is named I Wanna Win. This song was one of the stand out tracks on my first listen of Life At Thirty. It's an uplifting feel good number about wanting to come out on top of life despite all of the things that happen that make you feel like it is not possible. The song is a thoughtful one, relying much more on melody than tempo to draw in the listener. There is even some added piano at the end of the track that adds another fantastic element to the song's sound. The tenth and final song on the album is the acoustic Everything. What I really enjoyed about this song is, even though it's a soft acoustic song, it's actually full band with the inclusion of drums and what sounds to me like a violin. The drums provide a big back bone to the song and the violin gives a haunting touch and adds so much emotion to the song. Everything is about the breakup of a relationship and dealing with the aftermath. This album finishes on a beautiful but downbeat moment.

Life At Thirty is another superb Ramonescore pop punk album from mainland Europe. The plethora or really great bands out there playing this style is incredible. On My Arms are one of my new favourites.

Stream and download Life At Thirty here: https://onmyarms.bandcamp.com/

Like On My Arms here: https://www.facebook.com/onmyarmspunkrock

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Revew: Reach Out by New Town Kings

In my opinion the New Town Kings are the best thing to come out of Colchester since Humpy Dumpty. They are a band that make me hugely proud to come from the North Essex town. For years now they've been wowing crowds in the town and throughout the rest of the UK and Europe with their modern take on ska and reggae music, constantly earning more and more fans. It has been seven long years since the eight piece released a new album which is a really long time to wait. During that time they replaced their former frontman Chris White with Dabs Bonner and were hard at work playing shows all over the place. They released a handful of singles and an EP whilst working on a new sound to compliment their new singer. Now, finally, the New Town Kings have self released a brand new album of thirteen brand new tracks named Reach Out. To say I was looking forward to this would be a huge understatement.

The album starts out with its title track, Reach Out. Here we have a slick reggae track where Dabs and the Kings basically re-introduce themselves onto the scene. Dabs has a fantastic versatility in his vocal and shows this off brilliantly on the track, whether he is soulfully singing or rapping in an up-tempo fashion it is superb. This song is followed up by Borderline which sees the band get political. It's about the absurdity of still having lines to separate countries and the ridiculousness of needing special permission to cross between these borders. The message in the song is obviously something that the band feel very strongly about and they've done a brilliant of job of conveying their views here. First of all it's extremely catchy so you will quickly be singing along with the chorus but the real strength in the song is how eloquently written the rest of the track is. It feels as if the band are trying to teach the listener rather than preaching their views. This is amazing. The third song is the upbeat ska number Why You Always Take. This is a wonderful summertime ska track about that friend, that we all have, that only takes and never gives back. It's a song where Dabs lets out his frustrations about the situation but in true ska fashion does it in such an upbeat way.

British Summertime is an ode to growing up in the UK during the summer and making the best of it not often being especially warm. There is something magical about those few days when it does get nice and the whole country has a collective smile on their faces. The upbeat ska vibes continue on the next song, Deep Water. It's more of a humorous song that may or may not be about bass player Tommy's attempts at being a ladies' man and how it often ends in disaster. This is one of those songs that is impossible not to smile along to like a bit of a goon. This is another really catchy track that you'll quickly learn the words to. I kind of feel like this song was written so that a room full of people can sing the song back at the band and in particular Tommy to help him learn "that if you play with fire you're sure to get burnt." The sixth song Music is perhaps my favourite on Reach Out. It's about just what a magical art form music is and how it just makes everything better. We can all agree with that. This is a wonderful song for chilling out with your loved ones on a nice summer's evening with everything in your life just feeling perfect. Dabs's vocals are on the softer side here which just adds to the whole vibe of the song. Listening to the song I just want to wrap my arms around my favourite people, smile and sing away. This is seriously the bees knees of a song.

Francine is a fun swing number that the New Town Kings have been playing live for a number of years now but this is the first time the song has found its way onto a record. Tommy Marchant's walking bass line along with the Kings amazing brass duo of Rory Sadler and Robert Landen really steal the show on this one. It's another song that encourages a huge sing-a-long with some fun gang vocals adding harmonies to the chorus. When a whole room of people is shouting along with the band it adds a big feeling of inclusion and connection that can often be lost between a band and its crowd. Not with the Kings though! The eighth track features a special guest in the form of roots reggae artist Sylford Walker. The song, titled Burn Babylon, is more of a serious reggae style track about wanting to bring down the establishment. This is another one of the Kings' more political songs that not only educates but also gets you thinking. Long Long Road is an uplifting and positive song about following your dreams no matter what obstacles might stand in your way. Much like Music, this is a great chilled out song that's perfect for those great summer's evenings. I love any song that empowers me and this certainly does that. Having a group of people singing "oh now it's a long long road, we've got to walk, we've got to walk" who really believe in these words must be a really special feeling.

Coconut Tree could be one of the happiest songs I've heard it a very long time. Returning to the upbeat ska sound, this song is about escaping from the trials and tribulations of your everyday life and living a simplistic life in paradise. This song is really clever in the way that it is written. With the catchy chorus listing fruit you might find on a tropical island, it does make the track feel a bit silly on the surface. But if you dig deeper and really think about the song, it actually is a great piece of social commentary on how you don't need all of the expensive and shiny things that you think you do to be happy. You actually just need the simple things to be happy. Track number eleven is another song that the band have been playing live for a little while but has finally found its way onto a record. The Hawk is a completely instrumental song that allows the band to really show off what an incredibly talented bunch of musicians everyone in the band is. The penultimate song is named Fine Fine Fine. Fine Fine Fine is another brilliantly uplifting tune about feeling so happy in your life and wanting to spread your love with everyone around you. I can, again, imagine singing this song along with a room full of people – friends, family and strangers – and just feeling so unbelievably positive and empowered. Dabs really has done what he set out to do on the song and spread his love. The final song on Reach Out is the slower ska ballad Lullaby. This is a side of the New Town Kings we've never experience before. Like the title suggests, the song is a lullaby that feels deeply personal for Dabs. Because of this I won't try and delve too much into the meaning of the song but just know it is heartbreakingly beautiful.

Reach Out didn't just surpass every single expectation I had for the album, it completely blew me away. A band shouldn't lose their lead singer and come back with an album that's better than any of their previous work (and that's not a slight on their previous work as I adore it), that's just not how these things usually work. Reach Out is everything I want in a ska and reggae album and then some. It's danceable, I can sing along, it makes me smile and laugh, it makes me think and most of all it makes me feel better. Ska, in all of its wonderful forms, is making a huge statement in 2018 with so many bands in the genre releasing album of the year contenders. Reach Out is certainly one of them.

You can buy Reach Out here: https://www.newtownkings.co.uk/store

Like New Town Kings here: https://www.facebook.com/newtownkings/

This review was written by Colin Clark.