Album Review: Welcome by Abraskadabra

Trying to keep the promise to myself about discovering more great punk rock bands, today I bring you a review of Brazilian skacore band Abraskadabra's brand new album, Welcome. The seven piece from Curitiba have been going since mid-2003 and have shared the stage with the likes of Bad Religion and Flogging Molly along with ska superstars Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Mad Caddies and Voodoo Glow Skulls. To get shows with bands of such a high status, there must be something quite special about Abraskadabra.

Welcome begins with the song Nothing New. As with most opening tracks on an album, it allows the band to set down a marker of what they sound like and what a good band they are. Nothing New starts out fairly surprisingly with some technical guitars and some crashing drums more reminiscent of a skate punk band than a ska band. There is plenty of ska to be found in the song however as it jumps between genres superbly. This is followed up by Heavy Hitters. Unsurprisingly the song starts off with quite a heavy style before quickly transitioning into a fast paced ska number. Everything about the song is high tempo, whether it's fast paced vocals or the infectious horns, it won't take you long to be skanking around your living room like a crazy person. Speaking of the vocals, this is the first time on Welcome that Abraskadabra show off their dual vocalists with both Bugga and Trosso taking turns on the verses and it sounds great. The third song, Left Corner, begins with some more infectious horns that will even get statues dancing. On this track Abraskadabra expertly mix 90s third wave ska with a more modern pop punk sound. Left Corner is about trying to keep moving forward rather than getting stuck fighting in the present.

Border Town has an upbeat reggae vibe. Beginning with one of my favourite horn lines on the entire album, Border Town gets off to a fantastic start and continues to get better and better. As soon as we get to the chorus the song has moved to having a hard hitting drum beat accompanying some melodic vocals. The contrast works extremely well. Worm's Song continues the trend of excellent horns to open up the song. It's one of those ska songs that is super upbeat in sound but is actually about a really sad subject as it is about missing a deceased friend. The track falls more into the punk rock with horns style of ska punk and has a big ending complete with some great harmonies and superb gang vocals. My favourite things! Wheel Of Fortune brings us to the halfway point of Welcome. It's slightly more subdued than the previous songs and isn't played at such a high tempo, showing some variety in the Abraskadabra arsenal. Here we have a melodic pop punk song with horns similar in style to We Are The Union. Maybe it isn't quite as danceable as the more uptempo tracks but man it's hard not to sing-a-long with this song. The track is about a relationship not working out due to bad luck and things just not falling into place.

She's Gonna Livia offers up a magical slice of ska and pop punk. The songs starts out firmly in the pop territory with opening guitar riffs reminding me slightly of old surf pop, transitioning into an upbeat and soulful verse. As the song goes on it builds towards a bigger and crunchier sound that ensures the song finishes with a bang. The song is about knowing that a girl is going to break a friend's heart and trying to tell them. The eighth song on Welcome is titled Catching Fog. When the song began I was expecting a fast paced ska punk song after some hard punk rock guitar but the song quickly switched to the most summery of ska songs. It's another song that will instantly get you skanking. I think that this is the first time that a keyboard/organ is used and this creates a brilliant extra layer to the Abraskadabra sound. I really enjoyed how laid back this tune was. The Tall One has quite an interesting sound. There's a great contrast between the music and the vocals on the track with the music being quite upbeat and in your face and the vocals having a bit of a restrained feeling to them. This really made me pay much more attention to what's being said as you do have to listen a bit harder.

The tenth song on Welcome is Street Of Order Square. There is a harder punk rock sound to this song that hasn't been heard quite as much as I had expected when I first listened through the album. There's still plenty of upbeat horn blasts and the vocals are as melodic as ever but there is also a lot more urgency in the song. This comes from the guitars and the drums which seem to have been played harder on this superb song. The penultimate song, Exactly When, is one of Welcome's stand out tracks. It's a song about life in a band with your friends, wondering if your big break will ever come but keeping on plodding along because you love what you do. It's a laid back and very retrospective song. The guitars are superb and have a bit of a Latino flavour to them which gives Abraskadabra something not many other ska punk bands have. Finally we have the track The Dream, finishing off Welcome in some style. The song starts out with a couple of huge sing-a-long moments before some big horn lines come in. The Dream is another track that features more of Abraskadabra's punk rock tendencies with fast paced guitars, pounding drums and plenty of gang vocals. It's a song that will get you moshing, skanking and singing with a big smile on your face.

If Welcome is your first experience of Abraskadabra you will be extremely impressed and as soon as it finishes you will want to also check out their back catalogue. Something I love doing is looking for bands in places you wouldn't immediately look for bands and discovering some real gems. This is certainly the case here as Abraskadabra have surely released one of the ska albums of 2018.

Stream and download Welcome here: https://abraskadabracwb.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-special-edition

Like Abraskadabra here: https://www.facebook.com/abrascwb

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Aphorisms by Tragical History Tour (by Emma Prew)

Aphorisms is the debut album from Scottish cow punk Tragical History Tour. That’s actually quite an odd thing to say since Derrick Johnston, the man behind THT, has been making music for some 15 years. So to say that his debut album is a little overdue would be somewhat of an understatement. We’re big fans of Tragical History Tour over here at CPRW with both Dan and Colin having reviewed his releases recently. Now the task of reviewing the much awaited Aphorisms has fallen to me – no pressure!

Aphorisms opens with Fight For Light. This song kicks things off with some clean-sounding acoustic guitar played at a reasonably fast pace. The first lyric of the song is distinctly appropriate for an album opener – ‘I don’t know where to start…’. I love small details like that. Fight For Light has a very much country meets bluesy feel with Derrick’s distinct gruff vocals adding another layer to the overall sound. Speaking of layers, a second guitar adds an additional melody while the first guitar remains more rhythmic – this is more than just a man-with-acoustic-guitar song. The standout moment for me, however, has to be the big singalong chorus of ‘When I never had a home, You were my place to go…’ which actually reminded me a bit of Hot Water Music. What a great start! Next up is Come On Home, Hero. Now this is a song that has been previously released (and I know Dan reviewed it at some point last year) but it must have passed me by as this was my first time hearing the song. Come On Home, Hero begins with a slow first verse, complete with super gravelly vocals, soft acoustic guitar and percussion. However, by the second verse the pace has pleasantly picked up and things suddenly turn into a more full band affair. This is a protest song of sorts that not only looks at angry Brexiters but also the human race as a whole and how we’ve done a pretty good job of making a mess of things. Two thirds of the way through the song there’s a big electric guitar solo – Tragical History Tour is certainly not so acoustic punk anymore. The entire song is packed with great lyricism but it has to be the bridge that really shine above all else: ‘When there's nowhere left to run, We can't undo all the damage we've done, As a human race, at times we've been great, but mostly we've been a disgrace.’

The third song is titled Old Words. This is a quiet and sad acoustic track that I recognise from the CPRW tracks of 2017 playlist – I believe Colin reviewed the EP of the same name. Derrick’s voice is particularly raspy for this song which sets a dark tone. One of the great things about the more stripped back Tragical History Tour style is how those vocals contrast so wonderfully with the warmer guitar tones, whether they be finger-picked melodies or strummed chords. Old Words is a nostalgic and regretful song full of emotion. It turns out that this isn’t a purely acoustic track after all as there is in fact a big electric guitar outro – more great contrasts! Three Two is the the fourth song on Aphorisms. This is fast paced, lively acoustic folk punk that has previously been released as a Uniforms song. You’d have thought this was an American folk punk artist, Cory Branan for instance, especially with the California and Colorado Springs reference… well, aside from the strong Scottish accent that is. This is a fairly simple but effective song about being on the road. There’s a feeling of positivity to the whole thing and I love it – ‘If I make it through the day, I swear to you I will change my ways, All I need is to hear you say, “You’re not alone”, Give me strength now to be strong, And together we can conquer anything.’  Around the two minute mark there is a short spoken word moment where Derrick speaks about the difficulties of talking about his feelings. Further repetition of that chorus plays out the song with the addition of more than one vocalist – or is it just multiple layers of Derrick vocals? Either way, this is one of the standout tracks on the album.

What Would Vinnie Mac Do? is a semi-old song that appeared on the 2014–2016 collected recordings. The song is similar to Old Words in that the acoustic guitar is warm while the vocals are more harsh. This is also another fairly sombre song but there’s nothing wrong with that, I think the most touching and thought-provoking songs are the sad ones. What Would Vinnie Mac Do? is about feeling like you have no place to call home – ‘Sometimes home is more lonely than the road.’ – feeling lost and, maybe just a little bit, lonely. There’s no doubt that this is a song full of emotion but there’s also a sense of hopefulness towards the end of the song. This is reflected in Derrick’s shift in vocal style – it sounds sort of brighter – as well as in the words themselves. ‘We can drive forever, Better now than never, Maybe someday we’ll find home.’ Like with Three Two, this next song, Pink Couch, is a stripped back version of a Uniforms song. If you’re not familiar with the original however, like I wasn’t until Colin told me, then you wouldn’t think this song sounds at all out of place on Aphorisms. I can’t emphasise enough just how great a lyricist Derrick Johnston is but, if you listen to this song, I hope you’ll agree that he has a brilliant storytelling ability. (The start of the second verse for instance: ‘Trace your steps back to the start, Learn again and fall apart, There’s nothing left to fear…’) His voice sounds more mellow here, rather than the characteristic gruffness that we are perhaps used to, with this rendition of Pink Couch having more of an acoustic pop punk sound over the rawer folk punk. The song ends with a stomp-along percussive last chorus which is similar to the original but retains the stripped back style well. Great stuff.

It’s Cool, I’ve Got This is the seventh song on Aphorisms. The song opens with a lovely, gentle finger-picked acoustic guitar intro before the vocals begin. The gentle guitar playing continues throughout and offers another great contrast in sound as those harsher, gruff vocals are back here. It’s Cool, I’ve Got This is a bit of a melancholic song with a positive twist. The lyrics speak of knowing that whatever life throws at you, you’ll be able to take it, no matter how difficult things might seem – you can do it. ‘And it breaks my heart to believe it, And it burns my lungs to breathe in, Shatters my voice to scream it, But I’ve got this.’ Up next is a song called My Little Ray Of Sunshine. This track takes a turn in a slightly different musical direction, it has a kind of jazzy, bluesy feel to its mid-tempo melody – I think there might even be some keys in this song’s intro. The percussion is sure to get heads nodding along too. Despite all of these sunshiney, happy sounds – not to mention the title of the song itself – the vocals feel almost grungey and angsty. My Little Ray Of Sunshine is a song about someone who seemingly has it all figured out and lives a perfect life – while you don’t. There’s another big electric guitar outro, complete with those aforementioned keys, giving My Little Ray Of Sunshine a very much Americana feel. I wasn’t expecting so much variety in sub-genres from this album if I’m completely honest!

No Advice is the name of the penultimate song and it begins with dual acoustic guitars playing a slow and melodic yet atmospheric introduction. The opening lines set a sombre mood – ‘I’ve got no advice, No quick fixes for you.’  – in Derrick’s classic gravel-infused tones. No Advice is about admitting that you are not able to solve someone’s problems, nor your own, but you will be there for that someone when they need you anyway – you are never alone. This is another tune that is packed full of emotion and it reminds a fair bit of City And Colour. You know, if Dallas Green was a whiskey drinking Scotsman. ‘Given time scars will fade, But they will never wash away…’ The aptly titled tenth and final song of Aphorisms is Final Intervention. Featuring quiet warm-sounding strummed acoustic guitar chords for the first twenty seconds of so, the volume slowly increases as the vocals come in. Those keys from My Little Ray Of Sunshine join the mix after the first verse and, once again, the warm and soft sounding instruments contrast well with the rougher vocals. Similar to earlier tracks, this song takes a look at some of the things that are wrong with the world and this country. ‘It’ll take more than protest songs, To explain all that’s gone wrong.’ / ‘If we can’t even save ourselves, There’s no hope for anything else.’ This last song is by far the longest on the album at over 6 minutes long but it feels entirely appropriate. I almost expected it to crescendo to having a full blown orchestrated finale. It doesn’t quite have that but it’s still pretty darn impressive all the same. In fact the end of the song has a spoken word section, which is a really lovely and humbling, complete with a final set of whoa-ohs. ‘If you don’t understand without an explanation, You’ll never understand.’ So just check it our yourself, please.

Aphorisms is released on 20th April on Make That A Take (of course), as well as Aaahh!! Real Records and Team Beard Records. The vinyl release is going to be a pick ’n’ mix of various colour options, so you won’t know what to expect – pretty cool!

You can find pre-order details here and check out Tragical History Tour on Bandcamp and Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Top Tens: Robyn and Brett's Top Ten Bands To See At Manchester Punk Festival 2018

I think I can safely say that Brett and I would not be going to MPF this year if we had not met Colin and Emma. Brett is my fiancé and a huge punk fan. Since we began chatting to Colin and Emma in 2016, we’ve talked a lot about the UK punk scene and Colin speaks with such joy and pride about the success of MPF that it’s impossible not to be won over. Living in South Africa with a weak currency makes it difficult to get to many festivals, but we’re lucky enough to be able to go and we cannot wait for this amazing introduction to the best of contemporary British punk. As Brett doesn’t really enjoy writing, I’m usually the one on CPRW sharing my views. But he’s so excited about going that I’ve managed to convince him to take the time to contribute to this list. It was tough to get this down to just five a piece, but here are the bands we’re most excited to see at MPF 2018. ~ Robyn

Robyn’s Top Five

Drones (Friday at Gorilla 17:15–17:45)
Drones recently dropped their album Exiled on 9 March and I am completely addicted to it. The band play in-your-face socio-political punk similar to that of Rise Against or Anti-Flag (and, for some reason, I’m reminded of Useless ID too). As such, they’re the sort of band you can really dig into because they’re hoping to spark a conversation with the music they’re releasing. But they also just sound so damn good on the record that I can’t wait to see what they bring to their live performance.

Apologies, I Have None (Friday at Gorilla 19:55–20:40)
Apologies is one of the first UK bands that Colin introduced me to, and I was immediately taken with the single ‘Love and Medication’ off of their album Pharmacie. Both Pharmacie and the band’s earlier album London offer beautifully-crafted, moving, meditative music that I’m not sure I could tie down to a specific genre (post-punk perhaps). I go to shows to have a good time, but it’s also often an emotional experience (my first Fest was just all of the feelings). This promises to be a fantastic, emotionally-charged set.

Spoilers (Friday at Zombie Shack 20:50–21:20)
I’ve been rocking out to Spoilers’ EP ‘Stay Afloat’ for a while now, which offers some awesome pop punk jams as well as some faster melodic punk songs. This four-piece from Canterbury in Kent seem to be adept at creating really fun and catchy melodies, and I am determined to fit them into my schedule even though I have to change venues between AIHN and Lightyear. They seem to tour quite a bit and are heading out on a European tour with Lagwagon and The Lillingtons later this year, but of course this is the only chance I’ll get to see them.

Happy Accidents (Saturday at Rebellion 15:35–16:05)
Brett got to see Happy Accidents at the band’s recent album launch in London, and I was so jelly. This pop-punk trio lured me in with head-bopping tunes like ‘Leaving Parties Early’ and ‘Running’, but I also really like their latest album, Everything But The Here And Now. Brett was super impressed with their performance, so I can’t wait to finally see Happy Accidents in the flesh.

PMX (Saturday at Zombie Shack 17:20–17:50)
PMX really remind me of A Wilhelm Scream with all of their thrashy, fast-paced, rip-roaring goodness. This four-piece from Perth in Scotland have been around for a while and toured quite extensively (with the likes of AWS, Mute, and Propagandhi no less), so I think I can look forward to an awesome high-energy set from these seasoned professionals.

Brett’s Top Five

Fair Do’s (Thursday at The Bread Shed 20:50–22:20)
MPF will be one of my life’s best experiences, and I haven’t even been yet. With every announcement my excitement has grown, but so has the list of bands that I didn’t know anything about. Fair Do’s were part of the final band announcement and Colin recommended them to me immediately. What a great recommendation it turned out to be. Once you get to know me, you learn that my criteria for great punk can be met by only three attributes: fast, technical, and melodic. Fair Do’s are all three and their 5 song EP is the only thing I have to tide me over until Thursday night at MPF.

Aerial Salad (Friday at Rebellion 15:35–16:05 and Zombie Shack 22:35–23:05)
I only started listening to this band late last year after reading a review of the album Roach on CPRW. Being described as pop-punk influenced by early Green Day is a sure way to get my attention. Roach went on to make Colin’s top 10 list on CPRW; the band totally deserved it and let’s face it, it’s better than anything Green Day has put out in the last 15 years. I’m stoked to see these guys play some of their songs early on Friday and I really hope I can get in to their Green Day cover set later on as well.

Darko (Saturday at Gorilla 16:20–16:50)
Growing up during the hey days of the compact disc, I always had to find new bands by reading the “thank you” section of liner notes or noting who my favourite bands were touring with in far-away places. My habits haven’t changed much and I learned of Darko from watching an interview with The Decline (AU) where they mentioned Darko as one of the bands they were excited to share the stage with. Giving me some subtle hints of both AWS and Shook Ones, Darko hooked me immediately with their fast, aggressive punk rock, and unique vocal delivery. Their album Bonsai Mammoth was one of my most played albums of 2017 and I am anticipating an energetic live set from these guys that will no doubt leave me beaming with happiness and sweat. PS. If you’re in Australia in early April, you can be blown away by both The Decline and Darko at one of their shows.

Counterpunch (Saturday at Rebellion 19:00–19:40)
Although they’ve been around since 2004, I hadn’t taken notice of Counterpunch until their album Bruises was released on El Hefe’s (NoFX) label, Cyber Tracks. That album, as well as their previous release, is full of catchy, melodic skate punk influenced by the likes of No Use For a Name (my all-time favourite) and Pulley with some more modern frills thrown in there for good measure. The song ‘Blueprint’ in particular has some clear lyrical and melodic references to the No Use song ‘Under the Garden’ which makes me happy every time I hear it. I love watching bands like Counterpunch live; good hooks and great crowd sing along moments mean the shows are always fun and well worth the hype and excitement.

Propagandhi (Saturday at Gorilla 21:00–22:00)
There are no words to describe how excited I am to see Propagandhi but I will try to come up with some for the sake of this write-up. I have been a fan of the band since a friend burned me a copy of How To Clean Everything and I finally had the chance to see them perform at Fest 15 in 2016. Last year they released my favourite album of the year, and Robyn and I were lucky enough to see them in LA on the US leg of the Victory Lap tour. It’s 2018 and even though I’ve seen them a few times now, I am as excited as I was back in 2016 and would not miss their set at MPF for anything.

This top ten was written by Robyn Pierce and Brett Coomer.

Album Review: City Of Strangers by Five Minute Major (by Emma Prew)

Five Minute Major are a four-piece, once upon a time acoustic but now more of a straight up folk punk, band from Montreal, Canada. The band was formed by longtime friends Francis Morelli and Frank J Leonard back in 2013 and now have the addition of Justin Judd and Matthew Leduc – the latter being the newest addition, bringing drums to the Five Minute Major sound for the first time on their third album. City Of Strangers is the title of that third album and it was released back in January on Leamel Music. This was another random Bandcamp find for me but I liked it more than enough to give it a review.

The first track is titled Cabin In The Woods and uses the sound of cracking open a beer to signify that City Of Strangers is off with a bang. This is immediately followed by an acoustic guitar and before too long we are treated to a bit of harmonica as well – I’m a sucker for a bit of harmonica. When the vocals come in they are gruff and plenty ragged around the edges, in a good way. Cabin In The Woods is about feeling like you don’t fit in in the wider world but being able to find comfort and happiness with just a few close friends, and some beers, around you – in a [maybe metaphorical, maybe actual] cabin in the woods. Next up is Parting Ways Part III (note: there isn’t actually a Parting Ways Part I or II) which kicks off with some warm acoustic guitar playing that is subtly backed up by the drums, or well it sort sounds like a tambourine to me but I guess it is the drums! This is a rousing acoustic punk anthem – featuring multiple vocalists in true punk rock singalong style – about parting ways with someone who is important to you but hoping that by writing a song about it they will be able to be reminded of you whenever they hear it. It’s a sad song wrapped up in a feel-good attitude. ‘And when night time comes around, I'll be humming this song, But when you'll hear that empty sound, I hope you keep these words, So they can remind you of me.’ Certainly one of my favourites on the album.

Burning City is the third track of City Of Strangers and it begins with some sombre yet nostalgic thank yous to an old friend ‘For all the good and bad things we've done.’ Now, since the first song on this album, I’ve been thinking that Five Minute Major sound like someone and by this third track I’m finally able to put my finger on it. Five Minute Major remind me of New York’s MakeWar or, perhaps even more so, their earlier and more acoustic-based incarnation of Sad And French. MakeWar/Sad And French are not actually French but there’s a verse in Burning City that is sung in French – the band being French-Canadian and all. I don’t understand French but it doesn’t affect my enjoyment of this wistful acoustic tune – plus there’s more harmonica. If Burning City was a sad song, this next song is simply heartbreaking. Father Of The Year is the fourth song on the album and it is about a father who is the exact opposite of father of the year. The song is clearly full of anger, and rightly so given the situation, which is passionately conveyed in the lyrics of the song. ‘I got hundreds of problems, You don't see me run, Now I face future like a loaded gun, My world went completely upside down, When you abandoned the ones you love at the train station.’ The main message that I took from this song is that although these circumstances have been painful to go through – and still are, inside if not so obvious on the outside – the author knows that they will always try their best to deal with whatever life throws at them rather than running away, like a certain father did.

The shortest song on City Of Strangers is Marmen at less than two minutes in length and, I must admit, that I’m at a loss to explain what this song is about. Musically the song has a wistful almost Western-like guitar intro before the vocals kick in and are full-on snarling anti-folk. The song only features two verses but the shouts of ‘Marmen! Marmen!’ that play out the song will be stuck in your head for days nonetheless. I did a quick Google search, as I often do when I’m not sure what the main word in a song means, and discovered that Marmen Inc. is a machine manufacturer located halfway between Quebec City and Montreal – they make wind turbines. This doesn’t really help me in figuring out exactly what the song is about but I am still singing ‘Marmen! Marmen!’ to myself so nevermind, eh? The next song is the most full-band sounding song yet with the drums sounding ever more prominent alongside the acoustic guitars. Trophy Kids is a song about thinking or worrying too much about whether what you’re doing in your life is good enough, always trying hard but knowing that the expectation is for you to try even harder. It’s certainly something that I’m sure many of us can relate to and I think that just knowing that you’re not alone is a comfort. The whole song is great but I particularly enjoyed the bridge which, alongside a melodic guitar melody, features some slightly odd, slightly Beach Boys-esque background ‘Ooh-oohs’ while the main vocal remains raspy – ‘I don't sleep anymore, can't stop the howls, When raised by wolves, bit by the man, When you grow up, I expect you to be, to be nothing at all.’

M.I.A. is a love song of sorts about a girl called Mia – rather than being an abbreviation for someone ‘missing in action’. The song features a great exchanging of vocals between two different singers that make me think the subject of this song is more than just the problem of one single person – it could easily be about many guys (or girls) all around the world. As the song goes on, you soon realise that Mia is actually an out of reach person from another world, aka. the movies, rather than being a real life love interest. M.I.A. is sort of sweet and only a little bit creepy, the lyrics say so themselves – ‘You know my love for you is creepy and shallow.’ Sins Of Yesterday is the title of the eighth track on City Of Strangers and it opens with a muted first few lines of the song before the volume is cranked up a notch for another rousing head-nodder of an acoustic punk tune. Sins Of Yesterday is about trying to put the past behind you and dealing with things today, rather than sinking into your old ways. The chorus, which kicks off with a yell of ‘Scream out and wake the dead!’, is begging for a barroom singalong and I think, in doing so, would help to reaffirm the idea that the author of the song is doing the right thing in leaving the past behind. ‘Got no one to blame, Can't wash dirt off my hands, I snuck into the past, Craving sins of yesterday, Now I must stand tall for this little boy, Got to deal with how I feel, So sorry for disorder we have provided.’

The penultimate song on the album is called Blackbeard, The Sinking and, sorry if this disappoints you, is not a song about pirates. But what this is is another excellent and relatable singalong acoustic punk rock anthem. A swaying motion carries the song, perhaps brought about by the nautical references. Instead of Blackbeard, The Sinking being a song about a ship, Five Minute Major use a sinking ship as a metaphor for how your life might be going and how you try to stay afloat despite the obstacles that are thrown at you. It’s not exactly an original idea but I can’t help but get swept away (pun intended) by the song. These lines specifically need to be heard – ‘Suffocating on your jaded ways, You suck at being the anchor, Can't you hear our needs or what? Don't go down with the ship, With wind in it's sails, set the rudder, Play the part you chose, please don't go down.’ Damn Straight is the last on City Of Strangers and, not wanting to keep things the same, Five Minute Major start this song with a deep drum beat and bass guitar. The acoustic guitar doesn’t even make an appearance until almost a minute into the song. What does make a prompt re-appearance however is more of that lovely swapping of vocals that we heard earlier on the album. More than one vocalist, I feel, always gives a song that community feel and that’s exactly what punk rock, acoustic or otherwise, is all about. Damn Straight is about carrying on each day despite nothing changing for the better and trying to stand up for what you believe in. This, along with that sense of community, is perfectly summed up with the song’s bridge – ‘We just want you to sing along, We raise our middle finger to this song.’ An apt ending for a fine set of songs.

You can stream and download City Of Strangers on Bandcamp. And give Five Minute Major a like over on Facebook.

This album review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Like A Ghost by Reuther

I get excited whenever Lauren of Mills On Wheels PR sends me an email. She always, without fail, sends me such exciting bands to review. So when she sent me an email for the band Reuther, claiming that the band is for fans of The Loved Ones, The Swellers and The Flatliners, I was very keen to check them out and get started on a review. Reuther, who are a three piece from Detroit, Michigan, are releasing their debut album Like A Ghost on the 27th of April via Get Party Records and Too Hype Music.

Like A Ghost begins with the song Statement. Instantly we are greeted with a pounding drum beat and some fast jangly guitars. As soon as lead singer and guitarist James Vee's vocals hit I get this feeling that this record is going to be super infectious and a lot of fun. The vocals are poppy and clean and omit a great energy. Backed brilliantly by some very urgent sounding music, it's hard not to get swept away with the song. Tuxedos And Jetskis is a stand out track. This is one of those brilliantly simple songs that doesn't try and overstretch itself. Other than that killer guitar solo that really comes out of nowhere! I really enjoyed the way Vee's vocals are delivered on the verse, it's kind of punchy but also manages to keep the melody of the song flowing. Every line is delivered with half of an exclamation mark, if you can imagine that. So Predictable has a slower start than the opening two tracks. There is a plodding nature with the bass guitar of J.D. Wright adding a bit of life to the methodical beginning. The track goes along for the most part at a mid tempo pace which allows for some massive sing-a-longs for the chorus. There is a strange section towards the end of the song where all the music drops out leading you to believe that the song has finished but there's some guitar riffs placed kind of randomly before that large big chorus. I wasn't so keen on that breakdown on my first couple of listens but it grew on me and is a great way of building up the last part of the song.

The fourth song Highways reminds me of New Jersey pop punk/emo heroes Saves The Day. This is no bad thing - Saves The Day are great! There's a laid back charm to this song. It never really hits any massive highs despite its upbeat tempo but it does take you along a lovely ride. The different melodies in which the music is played and vocals are sung is an absolute treat and make this song vital listening. Up next is the album's title track, Like A Ghost. When a song title is also picked for the album title I always think that puts extra pressure on the song to be great. On this occasion that is certainly the case. Things feel like they are being hit that little bit harder or strummed that little bit faster. Dare I say this feels a little more punk rock? That guitar riff quickly has me wanting to pogo around the room. The vocals have me wanting to shout along with my fists up high. It's all just energy, energy, energy and I bloody love it! So Permanent starts out with a funky drum beat that gets me bopping in my seat every time I hear it. This is the longest song on Like A Ghost so for me it has the role of being the album's epic track. It features a superb vocal performance from Vee as he really does a great job of carrying the song's melody. There is a moment of brilliant atmosphere, as the vocals almost sound haunted, while Vee sings along to a steady drumbeat before we get another great guitar solo that really builds the song to its fast paced conclusion.

Last Call was the track that Reuther put out to the world before the actual release of Like A Ghost. This was an excellent choice as it really shows off the best of Reuther. It's an upbeat and energetic song that again features some excellent vocals. The band barely pause for breath throughout the entire song save for the ending that ends on a more tender note. The penultimate track is named Light This Town and has an exceptional guitar intro. It has a kind of a surf rock sound but a surf rock sound on a ridiculous amount of caffeine. As you can imagine, this has me pumped for the song immediately - like I've also had a ridiculous amount of caffeine. This is exactly how I love my pop punk music, hyperactive guitars and great sing-a-longs. I'm reminded of the early 2000s Drive Thru Records era of pop punk here (one of the best eras of pop punk) and it just fills me with a nice sense of nostalgia. Like A Ghost is concluded with the song Sleeping In. Like the track Like A Ghost, this feels like more of a punk rock tune. At one point it almost sounds like a bit of gruffness comes through on Vee's vocal. The harmonies add a fantastic extra layer to the song and this has me wondering why they didn't use them more - harmonies are great! For me, Sleeping In is the best track on the album.

Like A Ghost is a strong debut full length from Reuther. This is an extremely well written album from a band that are showing a lot of promise. Pop punk music in this style is getting more and more popular in the punk world and the mainstream and I can see Reuther really being able to capitalise on that. I suggest you check them out now so you can be that person we all hate, but feel very smug when it's us, that can say "I knew that band back before they were famous".

Stream and download Like A Ghost here: https://reuther.bandcamp.com/

Like Reuther here: https://www.facebook.com/reutherdetroit

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Illuminate by Traits

Traits are somewhat of a punk rock supergroup from Yorkshire. Featuring members of The Human Project and Random Hand, the band play some fast paced punk rock tunes. In March of 2017 they released their debut EP Limits and to my surprise, given that the band are busy with their other projects, they are getting ready to release a second EP named Illuminate. Traits put the EP up on their Bandcamp page early before its physical release so we could all have a listen. Limits was a very well received EP so I was curious to see if the band could strike gold again.

The opening track of the five song EP is named Less Fortunate. This is the sort of song that you fall in love with immediately. From its heavy opening, the moment Jonny Smith starts singing all the way through to its final note I'm hooked. The power of positivity in the song is strong, it's about taking time out of your life to try and help people who aren't as well off as you. Less Fortunate gets Illuminate off to a blistering start. This flows into the poppier sounding The Good, The Bad & The Down Right Ugly. It starts out slowly with a little guitar work before we get into a really punchy track about going down the pub with your mates and celebrating all the good things that you have in your life and being thankful. Like Less Fortunate there is a great feeling of positivity oozing out of this song.

The third song, Paradigm, is about how all humans are the same despite our backgrounds. It doesn't matter how much stuff you do or don't have, person A is the same as person B who is also the same as person C. As soon as people realise this then we can start to make a positive change for everyone. Musically the song is fairly simple and this really helps make the song's social message become even more impactful. The introduction to the penultimate song, Drop The Status, is superb. Dan Powell's drumming is great on the entire EP but for my money he really shines here. The drumming gets the song going in a powerful fashion and adds so much life to the track throughout its duration. It's about not caring what people think about you and doing your own thing. The fifth and final track is titled I've Made My Bed. I've Made My Bed is one of the heavier sounding songs on Illuminate and finishes the EP off with a bang. Starting out with a mosh pit inspiring introduction before Jonny's soaring vocals come in. Those vocals are great on the entire EP, grabbing my attention from start to finish, leaving me hanging on to every word. The track is about sticking by your choices and being strong enough to get on with things if it turns out to be a wrong decision.

I'm just going to come out and say it - Traits are among the top skate punk bands in the UK and the skate punk scene in the UK is jam packed with amazing bands. It's no surprise that this rules given the other bands some of Traits are in but I don't think I was quite prepared for just how good Illuminate is. This is ace.

Stream and download Illuminate here: https://traitsband.bandcamp.com/album/illuminate

Like Traits here: https://www.facebook.com/traitsband/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Nap All Day, Sleep All Night, Party Never by Fintan Stack

Fintan Stack are a new punk rock band from London who will soon be releasing their debut single Nap All Day, Sleep All Night, Party Never along with the B-side I'm Done. Now normally I'm not so keen on reviewing singles but, after giving the songs a spin, I knew I had to! This is some seriously fantastic punk rock music that needs to be heard by all of you, and your families, and your mates, and that person across from you on the train, and your boss, and the person in the toilet cubicle next to you. Seriously - everyone!

As soon as I first heard the opening of Nap All Day, Sleep All Night, Party Never I knew this was going to be really incredible. Starting out with a great guitar riff over some simple pounding drums before some clean punk vocals come in, I can already imagine a big crowd singing every word back at the band. From there things just get better and better. When the second vocalist joins, I'm in love. These harmonies are just wonderful. The song is crafted brilliantly with subtle tempo shifts, big hooks, catchy choruses and an incredible build towards its finale that will blow you away. It's not often you hear punk bands with two vocalists as good as Fintan Stack. Their voices do that thing of not only meshing together brilliantly but also contrasting each other so well. What a song this is!

I'm Done continues in the same vein as Nap All Day, Sleep All Night, Party Never. The vocals steal the show but the quality of the musicianship cannot be ignored. With both of these songs it feel as if Fintan Stack are determined to take the listener on a rollercoaster ride with their music. The tempo feels like it has risen on I'm Done as the band thunder through the track. The short harmony section at the song's conclusion - you probably won't hear a more beautiful part of a song all year. I mean - WOWZERS! I'm Done is about being fed up with the town where you live and wanting to get away and start again. I'm sure we've all been there.

I have the pleasure of getting to check out a lot of new bands doing CPRW and I can say in all honesty as someone who gets really excited about a lot of bands that I can't remember the last time was this excited. When reviewing a new band the thing to do is to compare them to some of their contemporaries but I can't really think of a band that sounds that much like Fintan Stack to do that. There is a brilliant freshness about them that is all too rare. Basically if you can hear a little bit I will say that you'll love them, if you have perfect hearing in both ears you probably won't want to listen to any other bands for a while - just Fintan Stack. Seriously this is phenomenal, excellent, brilliant, exquisite, magnificent, outstanding and all the over words that mean the same thing!

You can pre-save Nap All Day, Sleep All Night, Party Never to your Spotify here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/fintanstack/c5DL

Like Fintan Stack here: https://www.facebook.com/fintanstackband/

This review was written by Colin Clark.