Album Review: Contender by Fightmilk (by John O'Hare)

Self described as ‘Incredibly loud and incredibly gross’, London’s Fightmilk released their sophomore album, Contender (Reckless Yes Records, 2021) in May. Their first effort, Not With That Attitude (Reckless Yes Records, 2018) was an album I only heard in 2020 but was blown away by so I had fairly high hopes for Contender. I would describe Fightmilk as indie-punk, but there’s elements of power pop and a certain dream-like quality to a lot of the slower songs. Fightmilk have been together since 2015, and whilst Fightmilk may not be widely known, the songwriting, composition and production of Contender absolutely sounds like a band that are confident playing and writing together.

The record begins with (contender) and what sounds like a 40 second semi-outtake from the studio – ‘I’ve fucked it’ notes vocalist Lily Rae, on top of soft, almost discordant piano lines. This sets the tone wonderfully, allowing for a classic ‘1, 2, 3, 4’ count in to drop us into track two, Lucky Coin, where the rest of band join us. The tone is peppy, optimistic and bright, and you’d struggle not to get sucked in. ‘And I’m a Lucky Coin/I just flip myself back over’ is an instant vocal hook and one I look forward to hearing live. This is arguably my favourite track and one I’d recommend checking out. The tone continues straight through with Hey Annabelle and I’m Starting To Think You Don’t Even Want To Go To Space which feel particularly reminiscent of their first record, with loud guitars, tight, snappy drums and twinkly synth moments. There is some layering of synths and extra instruments, but it never feels over-produced and is one of the things I particularly enjoyed about the whole record. The band still manage to sound like 4 people in a room enjoying themselves.

The Absolute State Of Me is where we take a slight turn to something a bit more moody. There’s some fantastic guitar work which sounds like it was lifted straight from a 90s rock band and it gives this song a more mellow tone. This song is littered with dynamic changes; instruments dropping out, backing vocals coming in and a brilliant piano accompaniment towards the end. These little things could easily go amiss, which makes them even better.

Remember the dream-like qualities mentioned previously? Girls Don’t Want To Have Fun (undeniable Cyndi Lauper reference!) is the first time we hear it in all it’s chill glory. Opening with a light guitar riff and an almost Lauper-esque programmed drum beat, you instantly feel another shift in tone to something much more melancholic. The drums remain quite busy throughout, but the soft, drawn out vocals really slow the song down allowing you to hear each word clearly. There’s also some wonderful harmonies across a lot of the vocals which are very pleasant. After two minutes and no chorus, it would be easy to wonder where the song is going, but when it hits and that hi-hat comes in, you’ll question how it could ever go anywhere else. The song ends with a beautifully bittersweet moment, leaving you wanting that chorus just one more time.

Whilst Girls Don’t Want To Have Fun is a great song, it carries a heaviness, so the placement of the instantly enjoyable Cool Cool Girl is perfect. Whilst you’re still clinging to the mood of the previous song, you can’t help but get carried along with the upbeat drums and melodic guitar riff. The vocal performance on this song is possibly one of the finest moments on the record. Urgent and engaging whilst remaining honest. At two minutes, the song drops down to a harmonised vocal line and picky guitars, only to build right back up with a powerful, defiant vocal delivery. ‘I’m interesting and I’m clever/And I’ll always be a Contender’ – in a world which can be so disrespectful and disregarding of women and girls, it is paramount voices like Lily Rae’s are heard.

The aptly named (tender) is a short interlude for you to take a moment after the powerful end of the previous track. Banger 4 is just what it says it is on the tin, a guitar driven power-pop banger with some cheeky bass fills and frantic drum work and another stellar vocal performance. If You Had A Sister follows, bringing with it what feels like the defining moment of the record. It’s quite a stripped back song through the first chorus, but moving towards the second chorus, the intensity builds and builds, finishing with a more overblown, almost Weezer-sounding middle eight. And whilst this is a sad song, the accompanying instrumentation has so much variety which keeps it lighter than the previous mellow outings.

You Are Not The Universe and Maybe feel like you are on the home stretch in the best way possible. The former opening with upbeat guitars and pounding drums, driving us all the way into the sad-tinged chorus – ‘The Play Is Unread/This Script Is Unrehearsed/You’ve Made Your Bed/You Are Not The Universe’. The song ends with the record’s heaviest moment, a full distorted rock-out and could easily have been the end of the record. Maybe opens with a short acoustic intro which drops into the full band, I do feel this could have worked as a completely acoustic song.

(bartender) is a short synth lead interlude, once again bringing in the Contender/Tender/Bartender reference with some odd voice samples which sound like an old radio. And in what is the strangest placement of a song, Contender finishes with the the latest single Overbite. Placing your new single at the end of the album seems like an odd choice, but in some way it seems to sum up Fightmilk completely. The song itself is a catchy, upbeat love song which I think everyone can sympathise with.

Throughout the record it is abundantly clear the lyrics and performances are completely genuine, to the point that some of the lyrics are even a little strange (I’m into Wrestling/And I’m clever) and by no means is that a negative. You have to appreciate someone being their completely honest, weird self – I know I do anyway.

Stream and download Contender on Bandcamp here.

Like Fightmilk on Facebook here.

This review was written by John O'Hare.

Album Review: Wavebreaker #1 by Less Than Jake & Kill Lincoln

One of the very best things that has happened in the past eighteen months is the apparent re-emergence of ska punk. A huge part of this has involved California’s Bad Time Records who have released amazing records from Kill Lincoln, We Are The Union, Best Of The Worst, Joystick and more, as well as working on the amazing Ska Against Racism compilation with the legendary Asian Man Records. Bad Time Records work hard in showcasing new bands and proving that the ska punk scene is more than just the big three from the 90s. In June they announced a new split series which will feature a legendary band and a newer one. When I first saw this I thought this was a fantastic idea as the legendary band will grab the attention and will, in theory, get the listener to also check out the new band. The split series is titled Wavebreaker and the first release features a song each from Less Than Jake and Kill Lincoln. What an amazing combination of upbeat and energetic ska punk bands! I couldn’t wait to listen to this.

Gainesville legends Less Than Jake start the split with their track Need Some Shaking. What really struck me about the track on my first listen was the high tempo that kicks the song off. The song really has an old school Less Than Jake style to it but bass player Roger’s slick production also manages to keep the track sounding like it would fit nicely on the band’s newest full length, Silver Linings. In my opinion, LTJ are at their best when co-vocalists Chris and Roger share singing duties on their songs. On Need Some Shaking Chris does a magnificent job on the high tempo verses and Roger’s choruses will get a whole load of people singing along. The track is about not becoming stale and predictable and taking chances in your life. In all honesty, I really enjoyed Silver Linings but I’m not quite sure why they didn’t include this song on the album as, for me, it’s one of the best songs the band have released in a while.

Kill Lincoln’s effort for Making Waves is titled Going Under. I’ve become a big Kill Lincoln fan over the past year, following the release of Can’t Complain, and am itching to see them live. For me, they write songs that are begging to be played live to a room packed with people, skanking themselves into an energetic frenzy. Hopefully I can be a part of this at Fest in October. Something that really attracted me to Kill Lincoln was the energy their horn section adds to their songs so I was very pleased to hear them open the track. From there we move to a more stripped back sounding verse. It feels a bit weird to call it stripped back as there is a lot going on but there’s a lot of subtlety to it that creates a really interesting sound. The sound of the song does become fuller during the chorus and after the quieter sections it really stands out. Going Under is about struggling with your mental health and wondering how much more you can take. It’s always important to talk about mental health so I thought it was great for Kill Lincoln to do so on such a high profile release.

As I mentioned in the introduction, Wavebreaker is the first in a series of split releases from Bad Time Records. If this first release is anything to go by, we’re in for some absolute treats. Nothing has been announced (at the time of writing this) about what other combinations are in the works but I’m very excited to find out.

Stream and download Wavebreaker #1 on Bandcamp here.

Like Less Than Jake on Facebook here and like Kill Lincoln on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Exclusive Stream: Our Boring Lives by Dog Eared (Make-That-A-Take Records)

Today we are extremely proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of the debut Dog Eared EP. Our Boring Lives is released by Make-That-A-Take Records on Friday the 3rd of September. We first became aware of the three piece pop punk band after seeing them at Book-Yer-Ane Fest in Dundee at the end of 2019. I was enthralled by their fast paced pop punk sound and couldn't wait for their EP to be released. The time is now finally upon us and it's been seriously worth the wait! If you're a fan of bands like The Murderburgers, The Kimberly Steaks or Fastfade then this is a must buy for you.

You can buy Our Boring Lives from Make-That-A-Take Records (along with loads of other amazing releases including Goodbye Blue Monday, Lounar, Uniforms, Paper Rifles, Stonethrower and Seas, Starry) here.

Gig Review: King Punch with 3dBs Down and Last Edition at New Cross Inn, London 14/08/22

The activity I missed by far the most over the past seventeen months has been going to gigs. Not only were gigs exciting because I got to see some of my favourite bands but it was also an opportunity to see many of my wonderful friends, as well as travelling around the country. It was a wonderful thing and I always felt extremely privileged to be able to see and experience so many unforgettable moments because of it. So when lockdown happened a huge part of my life (and I’m certain everyone’s reading this) vanished. Obviously, I understood that it was important for it to happen so I learned to live with it and kind of got used to not being able to do my favourite hobby. After seventeen months we were finally able to go to gigs again. I bought some tickets, kind of expecting not to be able to use them but things got better and some aspects of life from the before times were able to happen again.

On Saturday the 14th of August I got to attend my first gig in 524 days. It had to be at my favourite place in the whole world, the New Cross Inn in South London, for a Be Sharp Promotions show featuring 3dbs Down and Last Edition, headlined by King Punch.

I can’t lie, I was slightly apprehensive the entire day of the gig but myself and Emma have both been fully vaccinated and we took lateral flow tests the morning of the gig which came back negative so we felt safe in the knowledge that we wouldn’t be spreading anything about. After a stress free train journey, we arrived in our spiritual home in time for doors. As soon as I saw some old friends, any apprehensions I had quickly faded and I was just super happy to be back and set for an exciting night of ska and punk.

Leicester’s Last Edition were the first band on and I couldn’t think of a better band to reintroduce me to live music. This was also the band’s first show back as they sadly had to drop out of a show earlier in the month due to illness. As soon as they started their set you could see in their faces how happy they were to be back on stage together. This feeling quickly bled into the crowd as the band soon had everyone moving. I had these strange feeling of muscle memory kicking in as my body began to do things it hasn’t for months. It was an amazing feeling. Last Edition’s upbeat brand of ska punk filled the room with smiles as they played through favourites such as This One, Last Orders and 10 Years as well as brand new(ish) songs Good Luck, Shorts Until September and Half Drunk At Half Time. This was a fantastic kick off for the evening.

Up next were DIY punk legends 3dBs Down. These guys were the band on the bill I was most looking forward to seeing, after they released my favourite album of 2020. This was finally an opportunity to see some of the songs from it live. As much as I enjoy the band’s previous material, I was very pleased the set was mainly songs from the amazing Get Your Retaliation In First. One of the major things I love about the album are the big three part harmonies that Matt, Si and Tage perform. It’s brilliant on record but live it’s just something else. I was so impressed with how seamlessly they were performed as some sound quite complicated to do. The band opened up with At My Signal with the very appropriate lyric “it’s good to see you, welcome home.” I’m not sure a more poignant lyric has ever been sung at the New Cross Inn. They also played Moussaka, Pink Cardigan Twinset, Hang In There Man and Idiot Ignorant Evil before closing the set with Count To A Million. My only complaint from the set is that they didn’t play longer as I was having such a nice time and didn’t want it to stop.

Last up were the undisputed champions of a New Cross party, King Punch. After the previous two bands, the crowd were suitably warmed up and ready to get crazy for the seven piece. Not many bands can match King Punch for the energy that they have on stage. If there was any fatigue from not having played a show in so long then it didn’t show. If anything they picked the energy up the further they got into their set. Unfortunately guitarist Tor had some technical problems at the start of the set but that didn’t seem to hinder the band one bit. Personally I noticed because I happened to be on that side of the stage as he was trying to sort it out. King Punch basically played the entirety of Sit Still without a guitar and it still had the crowd in a frenzy. King Punch have always liked to throw a cover or two into their set and this was no different. Their now classic cover of System Of A Down’s Chop Suey went down as well as ever and there was also a brilliant cover of The Pixies’ Where is My Mind. Unfortunately due to Saturday trains still being rubbish (I haven’t missed those) we had to duck out of the gig early but not before we got to hear Enrico, Wishbone, Another Bomb, Weekend Warrior and a brand new song which I’m very excited to hear a recorded version of.

As a first gig back after over 500 days I couldn’t think of a better one. All three bands absolutely smashed it and the promoter, venue and crowd ensured it was a safe environment where, as far as I’m aware, everyone felt comfortable. Long may gigs continue. Let’s never go so long without one again!

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.

Album Review: A Beginner's Guide by Making Friends

Since London/Brighton skate punks FastFade split in 2019, lead singer and guitarist Ryan Mansell has been a very busy man. Not only did he start emo punks Maisonette, who have a new EP due to be released on INiiT Records in the future, he also formed a new skate punk band named Making Friends. Back in May the four piece, which also features Daniel Farrell, Bill Laken and Pete Thomas, released a second EP titled A Beginner’s Guide. Unsurprisingly, the EP’s four songs clock in at just eight and a half minutes so expect some fast and short songs ahead. For me, that’s how I enjoy my skate punk so I’m quite looking forward to listening to this.

The EP starts with Goodbye Forever. The song starts how you might expect a skate punk song to start – there is a pounding drumbeat driving the song forward and a technical guitar riff that really catches your ear. When Ryan’s vocals come in the music drops out, I really liked this as it made me really listen to what was being said. From there the song continues along the traditional skate punk route. Ryan’s vocals feel urgent and are backed by some great harmonies. I loved the switch towards the end of the song when Goodbye Forever jumps into a moody emo style. I didn’t see it coming and it’s a fantastic surprise. The second track is titled Happy Complaint. This track starts out slower than the previous one with a bass line opening proceedings before being joined by the rest of the band. The drums in particular give the song a high tempo feel but the vocals contrast this brilliantly with a more melodic style that again really catches your attention. Midway through the song a great guitar solo comes in to give the song an extra dimension before the song finishes in a more urgent fashion.

Early Grave is a bit of a throwback to Ryan’s previous work with FastFade. There’s that big Captain Everything influence in the guitars and it feels as if Making Friends have really raised the tempo. The track is about trying to run away and escape your problems, something we’ve all wanted to do at some point. It’s great to hear a band like Making Friends who are in their early twenties tackle mental health in a song. The song has a brilliant feeling of catharsis during the finale with a big sing-along of “why should I pick up the pieces, when I could just run away, can I take these useless feelings, with me to my early grave.” The final song on A Beginner’s Guide is titled Ant. The song is not even ninety seconds long but seems to pack a huge amount into it. The tempo and melodies are all over the place on the song, continually keeping you guessing what’s next? I feel like a song like this just shouldn’t work but Making Friends have impressively made it work. Ant is about having a friend who brings you down and stepping away from that relationship.

What I really loved about this EP was how fresh it sounds. Making Friends take the skate punk genre and breathe new life into it with a variety of styles and influences. Big things are clearly on the horizon for the band.

Stream and download A Beginner's Guide on Bandcamp here.

Like Making Friends on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Salem II by Salem (by Lara Roberts)

Salem are back after only a few months, with their second EP – Salem II. The first EP took me completely by surprise; as soon as I listened to it, I felt like I was 15 years younger. While the sound took me back to my (embarrassing) emo phase, the EP still felt new and exciting to me and I fell head over heels for it – Will Gould’s explosive vocals and dark lyrics mixed with fast tempo emo-pop melodies really ticked my boxes. I got tastes of My Chemical Romance, early Fall Out Boy, and a dash of Alkaline Trio. Plus, I was intrigued by the pairing – Will Gould from Creeper, and Matt Reynolds from Howard’s Alias?!

The second instalment builds on this mid-00s emo vibe, but it definitely has much grander ambitions than the first. The gothic imagery conjured up by the lyrics and the amped up dramatic atmosphere give this release an almost theatrical feel.

The title of the opening track, William, It Was Really Something, is a fun play on the title of The Smiths 1984 classic William, It Was Really Nothing. But that’s where the similarities seem to end – the Salem drums hitting much harder and the guitars a lot faster than Johnny Marr’s iconic 80s jangle. The immediate-ness of the song and singalong-ability is clear from the start, and it makes a fantastic opening track.

DRACULADS (another excellent title) begins with rolling drums, leading you to a melody and vocals that wouldn’t be out of place on American Idiot; it’s got multiple layers and sounds like it was made for a musical.

The punchy, catchy emo-pop continues with Keep The Thorns and Sweet Tooth, both calling on gothic imagery of altars, vampires, and descending deep into hell as you fall deeper into love (or lust, I’m not judging).

The EP comes to a strong close with Heaven Help Me. While the dark symbolism continues in the lyrics, musically the closing track lends itself more to punk rock than emo-pop. A fantastic ending to this cute, dark, fun, sexy EP.

I’ll admit – I expected more from this when I first listened to it. And the second, and third time (you can see where I’m going with this). But that’s only because the first EP was almost flawless to me. After revisiting this one a few weeks later, I don’t know why I was being so overly critical – Salem II is a natural progression from Salem. Just as The Black Parade was a natural progression from Three Cheers.

For fans of My Chemical Romance, (early) Fall Out Boy, Alkaline Trio, and the iconic emo fringe.

Stream and download Salem II here and like Salem on Facebook here.

This review was written by Lara Roberts.

Album Review: Chick Chicken EP by Skiv

Skiv are a band we’ve been having the joy of seeing live for a couple of years now. The melodic punk four piece have become a staple in the South London punk scene thanks to their entertaining and, at times, raucous performances. I’ve said on many occasions that they are also one of the most talented groups of musicians in our scene and that talent always shines through when you see them live. They have previously released a three single collection named the Meal Deal EP. After many delays due to various lockdowns in the UK, Skiv recently released a new EP named Chick Chicken. The band was kind enough to send me an early copy.

The EP begins with its title track, Chick Chicken. This is an ode to the takeaway a couple of doors down from the band's beloved New Cross Inn in South East London. It’s a short one minute long song where Jordan, Conor and Liam all take turns singing a verse. It’s a short and sweet song that put a smile on my face. I believe this is the first time that Conor and Liam have handled vocal duties on a Skiv release and this shows where the band are heading on the rest of the EP. The second track is named Berlinerluft. Bassist Conor takes lead vocal on this song and it’s nice to hear. Conor was the lead vocalist for his former band Cereal Box Heroes and it’s great to hear him step behind the microphone again. The song is about relying on alcohol to help quiet the voices in your head when you’re going through some deep and heavy things. This is definitely a more open and emotional side of Conor that we’re not used to but this is an incredibly well written song.

The third song, Devil In Dartford, sees Liam and Jordan team up on the vocals. Liam’s gruffer voice alongside Jordan’s smoother style sounds fantastic, the two work extremely well together. On this song Skiv manage to blend some rockabilly into their usual melodic punk sound. I’m surprised this works as well as it does but I guess that proves what a talented bunch these guys are. Devil In Dartford is about a young, troubled boy who turns pretty evil as he gets older. I’m not sure if this story is true or fictional but the band does a fantastic job of painting a picture with the lyrics throughout the track. The final song on Chick Chicken is one I recognise from seeing Skiv live. In A&E begins with some fantastic bass playing and builds up to Jordan’s superb vocals. I’ve been saying since Jordan’s days in DropThis that he’s one of the best singers in the UK’s DIY punk scene and I continue to stand by that statement. Jordan and Liam team up again on the song with Jordan handling the verse and Liam the chorus. This is potentially my favourite song that Skiv have released so far.

If you’re new to Skiv then the Chick Chicken EP will work as a superb introduction to the band. The EP does a wonderful job in showcasing all four members of the band’s incredible talent. I like that all three vocalists had songs featured on the EP and I assume that this will be a big feature of Skiv’s live set in the future. Great job on the EP guys.

Stream and download Chick Chicken EP here.

Like Skiv on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.