Album Review: Split by Ship Thieves and Reconciler

I’m always a fan of a good split, so when I saw that A-F Records were releasing a split single from Ship Thieves and Reconciler my interest was very high. I’ve been following Reconciler for a couple of years now but this was the first new music I’d known of from Ship Thieves in a little while and I was very keen to check out both songs.

Ship Thieves start the split with their song Nothing Now. For those unaware, Ship Thieves are the project of Hot Water Music’s Chris Wollard. As soon as the song begins and Wollard’s booming voice comes in there is a great feeling of familiarity. The song begins with a pounding drumbeat and some guitar effects that soon transition towards a more standard riff that you would perhaps expect from Wollard. When his vocals come in it’s a powerful moment that ensures the song has fully hooked its claws into you. I really enjoyed how urgent the song feels, in no small part to that drumbeat I mentioned earlier. I’m assuming that this song will be used for a full Ship Thieves release later in the year. If that’s the case, I am very excited to hear some more because this is great.

Reconciler’s track is named Push To Break. I’ve been following Reconciler since discovering their album Set Us Free in 2019 and I immediately became a fan. Push To Break is another great track from the Atlanta-based three-piece. The guitar riff that welcomes you into the song really pumps you with energy and the shift in key before the vocals come in really gets you ready to have a good sing. Those opening few lines come at you at quite the pace, again adding so much urgency, but when the chorus kicks in it’s a real fists in the air moment. Joseph Lazzari’s vocals sound brilliant throughout, whether it’s during the urgent verses or those big choruses. If you’re new to Reconciler then this is a great introduction to the band.

I’m assuming that both bands have new music coming out this year and this split is a great teaser for those. Dip your toes in now and before diving straight in later in the year.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here.

Like Ship Thieves on Facebook here and Reconciler here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Incisions’ Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

Manchester-based hardcore band Incisions are set to release their long awaited second album on 2nd April. The album, titled Bliss, is being released on TNSRecords and you can pre-order it, and read more about it, on their website now.

And, while you wait for the album to be released, you can check out the band’s top ten influences below:

JORDAN

Poison Idea
I love everything about Poison Idea. I try and bring them up at some point with every person I meet. ‘Feel The Darkness’ is the place to start if you’ve not heard them before but the further you dig the more riffs you will fall in love with, the music is always so fast and heavy. A great balance of political fury and raw emotion spewed out by one of the best hardcore vocalists of all time. Not that hardcore vocalists are highly regarded in my experience.

John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu)
John Reis is the man behind so many amazing bands and, in my opinion, is deserving of one of punk’s many subgenres all by himself. Frontman and guitarist for Rocket From The Crypt, punk rock and roll with brass but NOT ska and one of the best live bands you could ever watch. He’s also behind pioneering post-hardcore/emo band Drive Like Jehu. I finally caught Hot Snakes on tour last year, another incredible band, and the way Speedo plays a guitar is just insane. I always adore his guitar tone whichever band he is playing in but watching him as lead guitarist for Hot Snakes just took my head off. I also strongly recommend The Sultans and Night Marchers, two more bands he fronts. Absolute legend.

MARTIN

Steve Albini
Noise rock is my go to for guitar playing style. I grew up more immersed in the heavier side of the spectrum rather than punk. As I got older I realised how silly/contrived metal and its scene can be so immersed myself in noisy, dangerous sounding bands that didn't have or need that daft metal aesthetic. I could name SO MANY bands of this genre that have influenced not only my music tastes but my style as a guitarist but they all seem to have one common factor – Big Ste. Whether it's him and his guitar playing and shouting in Shellac and Big Black or his absolute joke of a list of seminal albums he's recorded with artists such as The Jesus Lizard, Slint, Pixies, Fugazi, Tad, Nirvana, Neurosis, Melt Banana, Godspeed You…, Metz… His left-wing political views, his opinions, artistic integrity and musical independence; it's safe to say that he is probably my most influential personality in music.

ALDI Galahad Premium Lager
£2.05 for four 440ml cans. Not too strong (anything stronger than this and I'll have my trousers in a carrier bag in about an hour), genuinely tastes better than other 4% lagers (I have done a taste test). After 4 cans of anything it all tastes the same anyway (except Carling, in which case I’d rather drink Tet’s urine). A throwback to my late 90s youth, when a tenner could get you piss your pants drunk and you'd still have change for 10 Lambert and a chip barm. Quantity AND Quality.

ARCHIE

Dillinger Four
Anyone that’s had more than three drinks with me has probably heard me blabber on about how much I love this band. For me, they’re the perfect punk band. They write smart songs that tread a thin line between high brow and low culture. Poppy and melodic enough to sing along to but with enough underlined hardcore sensibility to pack a punch. I’ve always admired the way they approach politics in their lyrics, avoiding cliché slogans or preachy moral antics (not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that kinda stuff). I feel like there’s a simplicity to D4’s music that has been imitated endlessly but, in my opinion, never truly matched.

2000AD
I’ve probably been into comics since I learnt to read (possibly longer). Like most kids of my generation, I got into it through American superhero stuff, then some time in my early teens I discovered 2000AD and all of a sudden men in tight spandex seemed to lose its appeal. For anyone that doesn’t know, 2000AD is a weekly British sci-fi anthology, born out of the late 1970s punk rock era. Unlike many of the glossy, well kempt titles of its time, this comic dealt with troublesome anarchic anti-heroes and disguised political satire through larger than life science fiction settings. With its ultra violent imagery, dark humour and overtly anti-establishment tone, 2000AD blew my thirteen year old mind away and I’ve been reading it every week since.

TET (ANDY)

Brandon Barnes (Rise Against)
My first influence would be Brandon Barnes from Rise Against. A lot of my early music influences I heard from my brother, who I owe a lot of thanks to, and it was Brandon's playing where I first was exposed to blastbeats and the driving power the groove gives (my brother and I used to call it the Rise Against Groove, as it is used a lot throughout their music). Rise Against's albums up to and including Endgame were basically on a constant repeat on whichever Walkman phone I had at the given time, and will always stick with me with how they influenced my pre/early teens into my early 20s. Brandon’s playing isn't just fast playing, but playing what the song calls for, and that’s what separates a great drummer from a fantastic one.

Barnsley
My other influence that I want to highlight is my hometown – Barnsley. Now, I get a lot of stick for being a Barnsley lad, and the town has seen its ups and downs, but it's these same ups and downs (mostly downs) that has spurred my disdain for the Tories and what their actions did to our town. A town decimated by one action and has limped through ever since, but despite this, Barnsley has some of the nicest, caring, considerate people that I have ever met. Barnsley is not without its issues, and I have heard that colloquialisms have changed since I moved from Barnsley, but the town that I grew up in will always be a part of me, and not only influences my anti-Tory political positions, but also my accent.

BAND PICKS

WIGS
Always funny. We have an impressive amount of wigs and they regularly come out at gigs.

Toast of London
We use a lot of Toast of London references to insult and entertain each other and other people we meet who often have no idea what we’re on about.

Like Incisions on Facebook here.

Album Review: Pride Was Somewhere Else by Career Day

Career Day are a four piece emo/pop punk band from Queens, New York. On New Year’s Day the band released their second EP. Titled Pride Was Somewhere Else, it features three brand new tracks from the band. They are also donating all money from downloads to the mutual aid funds of NYC DSA, Queens Care Collective, Nassau County DSA and Suffolk County DSA. Great new music and raising money for some great causes. Brilliant!

The name of the first song is Monument. After a quick audio clip, Desmond Zantua’s vocals immediately come in giving you a quick impression of what to expect from Career Day. Clean and dare I say poppy vocals accompany some interesting guitar tones and a drum beat that builds towards the song properly beginning. What really did attract me to Career Day is the high level of musicianship that’s found throughout the EP. As the song moves more towards the verses it gets more urgent and that’s when the song really comes into its own. A great start to Pride Was Somewhere Else. The second song is titled Deathbed Regrets. The track begins with some fantastic guitars and a great drum beat that really hooked me in from the beginning. When the chorus hits the song really comes to life and has me wanting to bounce. The song is about dealing with a break up and feeling bitter about it. I would’ve loved to have heard more gang vocals on the chorus, I think that would have taken the song to another level. The third and final song on the EP is Truth Changes. Again the song starts out with a great guitar riff that hooks you in. The guitar is joined by Desmond’s vocals. They’re quiet but move at a high tempo which makes for a very interesting sound. The urgent opening then leads to the full band coming in and playing the song in a chugging style. It’s the sort of melody that will get the crowd banging their head along with the song. As the song goes on it builds and builds, hitting some big highs before quietly finishing, bookending the track. The song is about moving on from your past and realising that everything changes whether you like it or not. This is probably my favourite song on the EP.

If you’re new to Career Day, like I was, then this is a great introduction. Emo is never my go to genre when I want to listen to new music but I really enjoyed Career Day and Pride Was Somewhere Else. It features some great songwriting and musicianship. I feel like it’s one of those releases you can listen to two dozen times and still find cool little intricate things that you like.

Stream and download Pride Was Somewhere Else on Bandcamp here.

Like Career Day on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

News: Burnt Tapes Release A Brand New Cover

Our good friends in Burnt Tapes have just released a brand new cover song for us all to enjoy! The guys have been down to The Ranch with Daly George to record a cover of the Loverboys classic Working For The Weekend. Singer and guitarist Phil said "we were asked by Californian label Cleopatra Records to cover an 80s track as part of a comp that is coming out later this year. This track resonated the most because 'everybody's working for the weekend and everybody needs little romance' am I right people. Everybody needs some digital romance in the time of Corona!"

The band are working hard on their second LP that they hope to release later this year and they've also just released their first beanies that you can buy on their Bandcamp page now!

Album Review: Scooter Jeezie: I Think It’s Your Turn To Take Out The Trash, Margaret by Old Bones Break Easy

Old Bones Break Easy is the solo/side project of Dave Cavallo who is the lead singer and guitarist of Texan skate/pop punk band Dropped Out. On Boxing Day, Old Bones Break Easy released a brand new EP Scooter Jeezie: I Think It’s Your Turn To Take Out The Trash, Margaret. The songs were recorded to be used in an episode of the podcast The One Stars. It’s four songs in just over six minutes. As you could imagine, I couldn’t wait to review this.

The first track on the EP is A Goofy Movie. At just over a minute long, the EP starts with its shortest song. It starts out quickly, getting you hyped for what is to come. Lyrically it’s super simple, it’s mostly “what’s your favourite movie?” for the majority of the song before proclaiming that A Goofy Movie is the best movie and if you think otherwise you’re wrong. Personally I’d argue the greatest movie ever is The Mighty Ducks (all three of them) but each to their own. Back To Bed manages to get up to seventy seconds long. I really liked the harmonies used throughout the song. It’s a more serious track about feeling like there’s nothing in your life worth getting up for so just wanting to spend all day in bed. I would have loved to hear a slightly longer version of this song so Dave could expand on what he’s saying in the track.

Dinosaur On A Skateboard is a fun song about Roger the skateboarding dinosaur. I’ve been doing CPRW now for five and a half year and I’m now quite sure that I’ve reviewed a song on every single topic. This is frankly ridiculous but it’s made me so happy. It makes me think of what would’ve been my favourite cartoon as a kid. Is there a cartoon about a skateboarding dinosaur? There should be – I’ve found the perfect theme tune. The fourth and final song on the EP actually takes up almost half of the EP’s duration which is a bit mad. It’s titled Bad Dong (Dad Bod). It’s another more serious song about getting older and wanting to be a really good dad. The song is more melodic than the previous songs and it makes me think of Lagwagon when they’re at their best. It’s nice to hear Old Bones Break Easy play a longer song that actually has a bit more substance. What a great way to finish the EP.

If you’re after a short EP that will make you smile then look no further than Scooter Jeezie: I Think It’s Your Turn To Take The Trash Out, Margaret. It’s important to find fun things, these days more than ever, so I thank Old Bones Break Easy for this.

Stream and download Scooter Jeezie: I Think It’s Your Turn To Take Out The Trash, Margaret on Bandcamp here.

Like Old Bones Break Easy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Bad Operation by Bad Operation

Surely by now you’ve noticed the massive resurgence in American ska punk that’s been happening over the past couple of years. Bad Time Records, the California-based label, have been at the forefront of this movement. In December they put out their latest release which was the self-titled debut from New Orleans group Bad Operation. The album, which was co-released by Community Records, had a lot of hype behind it before it was released and has earned rave reviews since. It’s now time for my rave review.

The album begins with the song Perilous. This is a great introduction to Bad Operation’s new tone style of ska music. They take that two tone style made famous by bands such as The Specials and The Selecter and give it a fresh coat of paint. The song starts out in an upbeat fashion which really caught my interest immediately. The first time you hear Dominic Minix’s vocals is a special moment – they are super soulful and impossible to ignore as Dominic sings about finding solace in music when your mental health is giving you problems. Next is Bagel Rocks which starts out with some marvellous keyboard playing from Daniel “D-Ray” Ray. With its simple but catchy “oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh oh” chorus I can see this being a real crowd pleaser when they play it live. It’s about trying to learn from your mistakes and growing as a person, something we all could try and do. It’s crazy how a song with that chorus can be so deep but Bad Operation pull it off brilliantly. The opening guitars on Brain give me great Operation Ivy feelings. This is the shortest song on the album and also the most up tempo. The band squeeze a lot into these two minutes. The up tempo style obviously means this is a high energy song. Minix shows great vocal skill in getting all the words out and them still remaining as soulful as they do on the slower songs. The track is about searching for meaning in your world and realising that your life doesn’t need to go the way that society says is the conventional route.

The fourth song is titled Little Man. After the energetic Brain, Little Man sees Bad Operation switch to a slower, reggae style and prove that they’re just as adept at this style. There’s such a nice, chilled out vibe coming from the song, you can just lay back, listen and smile along with it. Listening to the lyrics, it’s obviously a deep track about those people who can’t get on with other people and can’t understand that people are all different and that’s perfectly fine. It’s mad that in 2020/21 this song feels as important as ever. It’s sad that a lot of people still aren’t evolved enough to realise that people don’t have to be cookie cutter. Next is the album’s title track BAD OPERATION. Just to be confusing, the band, the album and the track is named Bad Operation. The song starts in a haunting and atmospheric way that gradually builds towards a mid-tempo ska song. I love the way in which Minix’s vocals are delivered. They seem deeper and more serious, brilliantly contrasting with the bouncy music that’s accompanying them. The track is about people who ignore all of the wrongdoing and struggles that go on around them rather than trying to help and be the solution. I feel like when Bad Operation play live again (or for the first time?), the next song will be their set opener. Titled Kinda Together, it serves as a introduction to what to expect from them musically and thematically as well as introducing you to the band. It will get your feet tapping immediately. The seventh track is Peachy. The song tackles the subject of mental health, in particular the feeling of wanting to stay at home but also not wanting to be by yourself. It’s a difficult scenario to find yourself in. The song is a reasonably simple one that anyone listening will pick up quickly, this will encourage great sing-alongs and hopefully a feeling of catharsis for anyone who is feeling the same.

After a small sample of The Specials classic Ghost Town, Siren’s Call has a quiet bass lead introduction. Soon some simple guitar chords and the vocals come in. Because of the quiet nature of the opening, when the vocals do start they are striking. Your ears prick to attention. The track is about suffering from anxiety and how worry and stress can affect your attempts to live a healthy lifestyle. The penultimate song is titled Baby In Arms. Minix’s vocals are so interesting on this track. They have a haunting wailing quality that sends shivers along my spine. Minix has such a versatile vocal ability. Baby In Arms is about looking for a positive and believing that something is good is on the horizon. In a world that seems to be more doom and gloom than ever it is important to find positive things to hold on to that will keep you sane. There’s a great spoken word moment during the track that really stands out as something unique. The final song on Bad Operation is Fish Out Of Water. This is a bombastic way to finish the album, opening with a short trombone solo before some pounding drums join and the song starts proper. The song is heavy on the trombone which gives it a playful sound. The track is also full of “whoa-oh” gang vocals that give the song such a big sound. The track talks about the stress of trying to have everything and how bad that can be for you mentally before eventually realising that you can be happier with less. This is such an important message for people and a really positive way to finish the album.

Bad Operation deserves all the hype that surrounded this release and much, much more. It’s phenomenal. In my opinion, it doesn’t deserve to be spoken highly of in just the punk/ska/alternative press but in the mainstream press as well. Musically it’s incredible and the themes touched on throughout the album are more important than ever. This is vital listening. It’s also a lot of fun. I hope I get the chance to see Bad Operation at some point. As good as these songs are on recording; they can only be better at a live setting.

Stream and download Bad Operation on Bandcamp here.

Like Bad Operation on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: The First One by Andy B & The World

Four years ago, former Fandangle, New Riot and Mr Zippy bassist Andy B set out on an ambitious project to write and record an album featuring musician friends, old and new, from all over the world. The project saw Andy travel all around the world to record the different parts for the album and eventually ended up featuring members from bands such as Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, RX Bandits, The Slackers, [Spunge], Death By Stereo, The JB Conspiracy, Random Hand, Lead Shot Hazard and many, many, many more! In total there are one hundred and seventy two people on this release. The album is titled The First One (suggesting that Andy is mad and is going to do this again!) and will be released on Pookout Records. Pook also appears on the album. The First One is also raising money for Centre Point and Music For All. The thought of reviewing such a big project is pretty daunting but, given the effort that’s gone in to putting this together, I feel like the world needs to hear about it.

The album begins with Black & Blue. Unsurprisingly, given the talent featured on the album, this is a pop fuelled ska punk. It’s a great choice to start the album as it’s full of energy and bursting with positivity. It’s about coming together and ignoring all of our differences to fight for a bigger and better change. The song really shows the amount of people who have appeared on the album, the gang vocals sounds absolutely massive and I love them. Up next is Something’s Out. The song starts out acoustically before some horns come in and helps build towards the vocals. After the full on celebration sound of Black & Blue, Something’s Out pulls things back for a song about struggling with your mental health, in particular anxiety. I loved that Andy placed a song like this so early on in the album. Sure the album should be a celebration of unity but it’s also important for messages such as this to be prevalent. I really enjoyed the horns on the track; those short blasts really give the song an urgency that pulled me in. On my first listen through of the album the third song, Protestin’, really stood out. Lead by Cara-Jane Murphy, the song is a political song about the importance of protesting. The song borders on gypsy punk but maintains a ska element. If you were expecting a full on third wave ska album from start to finish here then you’re in for a shock. The use of the gang vocals in the call and response section of the track is genius, giving you the feeling of being at a protest. Fantastic work. The track also features the tenor saxophone playing skills of Dave Hillyard of The Slackers which is pretty cool. Frantic starts out with some horns from Jeremy from Skatune Network and Matt Appleton of Reel Big Fish among others. The list of people on this album really is ridiculous. Ben Hayes and Matt Carson’s vocals sound great on the track. The higher pitch gives it a unique feel that really pulls you into the song. This song certainly reverts back towards the third wave sound but also features some of the most impressive musicianship on the entire album (which really is saying something!), there are some moments throughout the track where Jon Priestley’s guitar really shreds.

Won’t Back Down features a familiar vocal in the form of Karen Roberts, formerly of Chase Long Beach. There’s a band I haven’t thought of in a long time! There’s a fun swing vibe to the song that will get you moving and Karen’s vocals sound as good as ever. The song is another political one about continuing to fight for what you believe in no matter what obstacles stand in your way. Times sees Al Copeland of [Spunge] fame take the lead vocals. As a big fan of [Spunge] this was very exciting for me. This is a bouncy ska punk number than will get you singing along and dancing (in true [Spunge] style). This song feels like a massive party number where you’ll have your arms around a stranger, singing along with joy in your heart. The track is about having a big night out, the self destructive behaviour that comes out and wondering where you should draw the line. The seventh song Don’t Look Back sees a bit of a Fandangle reunion as Andy is joined by former bandmates Tommy Saunders on lead vocals and Ed Starnes on trumpet for the song. It also features Roger Lima of Less Than Jake and MC Lars on the song. And it also features Chloe from Catch-It Kebabs, Tom and Evelyn Crabb of Lead Shot Hazard, Rob of Darko/Lockjaw Records and the previously mentioned Pook among loads of other people in the song. Imagine if Andy could somehow organise all these people to perform live one day, that would be something! The song is about the beauty of friendship and having people who will be there for you whatever happens.

The second half of the album starts with Not Gonna Settle. Jennifer Morrison of Tef London takes lead vocals on this track. It’s a stripped back acoustic ska song that is full of summer vibes. The track is an upbeat and positive song about knowing your worth and striving for the best of everything. This song is full of empowerment and works perfectly in the context of what the entire album is about. The ninth song is titled Follow The Streetlights and features the impressive vocal talents of Tony DiCarluccio of The Main Street Sweep. This track is a modern take on a more traditional ska and two tone style. The song really explodes during the chorus and I would imagine it would sound incredible sung in a big hall. The horns (there are thirteen horn players on this song) add so much bounce and energy to the song and the organ (played by Andy B) gives life to the verses. The punk in ska punk is well and truly brought back in No Righteous Cause. The song starts out with some simple guitar chords that give the song a darker edge before a huge drum roll comes in and the song bursts with energy. The guitars become faster and soon are joined by a catchy horn riff. By the time the vocals come in you know it’s time to party. Billy Canino’s vocals were higher than I was expecting after the intro but they do give the song a different sound. Something great about this is how they make you listen to every word. Advertise This must win the award for the most amount of people on a stripped back acoustic song ever. Richard Narbett is in charge of lead vocals here and gives the song a very accessible pop sound. It’s a catchy song about how people can be affected by the way advertising and the media make you feel about the way you look and how you’re doing in life. How they paint a picture of what is perfect and the mental health issues this can cause people. It’s important for people to remember that there is no such thing as perfect and everyone has flaws. The gang vocals on the final chorus present a great coming together of people and let the listener know they’re not alone.

Change The World is a stand out track on the album for me. Captain Accident takes the lead so you know it’s going to be a reggae driven number. There are also elements of world music that sneak in that work really well within the song. As the song progresses, the band take you massively by surprise as the track changes gears dramatically. It switches from soulful reggae to skate punk and I guarantee nobody listening heard it coming. I absolutely loved it. I guess with this many people working on the album it inspires so much more creativity and possibility. Change The World is about exactly what you would expect – changing the world. It’s a positive song about protesting and fighting for what you believe in. How the song goes from peaceful to urgent is just amazing. The penultimate song on The First One is titled Things Change. Andy B released a fantastic video for this song in the run up to the album's release. This is a full on folk song that is again brimming with positivity. It’s about coming together to try and make changes for the better. There’s a couple of songs that cover this subject on the album and I’m all for that. It’s important for people to know that they can make a change in the world. The gang vocals are the big highlight, with a huge choir of people coming together to sing out the song's important message. The final song, Eleventh Hour, shows off another different style. It starts off with an electric horn melody which was written by Pook before a gentleman by the name of Jake “Project” Brimble begins rapping over the music. Being this far into the album and it still managing to sound different and unique is impressive but I guess not that surprising given just how many people are involved in this album. Combining hop hop and ska punk music always seems to work really well, I'm not sure why there aren’t more bands doing it at the moment. There’s so much energy here that it’s difficult to stay still whilst listening to the song.

The First One is an incredible achievement. The time and effort it must have taken Andy to put all of this together doesn’t bear thinking about. Each song is brilliantly unique but they manage to all tie together and feel a part of the album rather than the album feeling like a collection of songs with no connection. Even if ska punk isn’t your thing, I encourage you to give The First One a chance just because of the sheer size of this project and that it was all done for two very worthwhile charities.

Stream and download The First One on Bandcamp here.

Like Andy B & The World on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.