Album Review: So It Goes by The Butts

The Butts are a pop punk band from Austin, Texas. I’ve been aware of them since the summer of 2019 when they released their Nightmare At Area 51 EP. Now the band are back with a ten song full length titled So It Goes. Lead by the dual vocals of Kurt Koegler and Kevy Bergman, I was hoping for another big slice of fun pop punk from the band. Time to dive right in.

So It Goes begins with the song I’m Getting Old. This, as you probably would have guessed, is a song about ageing. As soon as the song starts there’s this brilliant energy that invites you in to the entire album and I particularly enjoyed the use of the keys in the track. From the outset The Butts show off the dual vocal capabilities as Kurt and Kevy share the opening verse and then combine for the chorus. There’s a feeling of positivity in the song that you don’t often hear in songs about getting older. There’s a message about how no matter all the ways it seems that your body is crumbling, it’s okay that you’re getting old as there’s plenty of things to look forward to. Next up is Ruiner. This track keeps the energy going as Kevy takes over lead vocal duties. Ruiner is about being that person who makes a scene and spoils special occasions with their behaviour, realising that it’s you and wanting to change. The song continues at a high octane throughout the majority of its duration, it only really slows and has a change of melody as Kevy croons one last chorus.

The third song is titled I Wanna Take You To Prague. It’s Kurt’s turn to take lead vocals on this upbeat song about getting their life in order so that they can take their partner to Prague. The hook line of the song’s title really grabs you each time it’s sung and Kurt sings about all the fun things they can do once they get there. It’s not a song that reinvents the pop punk wheel but it does put a smile on my face which is all that matters to me. The Black Tar Heroine was released as a single by the band in December 2021 in the build up to the album’s release. This is a sad song that tells the story of the relationship between a shop worker and an addict. It starts out with the shop worker being on break and the addict coming and asking for some drugs. As the song and story plays out, the worker helps with getting things from the shop before he sees them at their lowest and the last time they meet where the addict is at their worst before getting taken away by an ambulance and is never seen again. Like I said, it’s a sad song but also a great piece of songwriting story telling. Catholic Guilt brings us to the halfway mark of the album. The Butts’ sound takes a bit of a turn on the first half of the track with a slow style that I wasn’t such a fan of but as soon as they bring the tempo back up they pulled me back in immediately. The track is about growing up as a Catholic and the confusion that it seemed to bring Kurt. The song shows the band aren’t afraid to step away from their bread and butter pop punk sound with slower tempos, changing melodies and some acoustic lullabies included. This is such a creative song.

Track six is Instagram Vacation. This song sees Kevy and Kurt share vocals once again, each telling the story of showing off about their lives on social media. I think there’s a lot of tongue in cheek fun poking towards people who post their lives on the Internet, in the hope that people will see what they’re up to and feel jealous. After the serious topics of the previous two tracks, this was a nice palette cleanser with more of a fun, silly song. Outlanders At The George Room is another more serious song. It’s a song about an unfortunate visit to a bar in their hometown that’s run by and is full of racists and homophobes. It doesn’t sound like a pleasant place to spend any time at all. The lyrics do a great job in setting the scene. If you take the time to listen, I think we can all imagine what the place looks like. When I first listened to The Final Text Exchange it hit me hard. The song opens with a audio clip from former president George W. Bush addressing a school shooting. From there, Kevy takes lead vocals and plays the part of a child trapped in the school whilst the horror of a school shooting takes place. During the song they sing the messages that the child sends to their father. Kurt then takes the second verse of the dad replying to his child trying to calm them and give them hope that it’ll be okay. Finally the song finishes with Kevy telling they dad that they got out but which teacher and friend didn’t, before a clip of former president Barrack Obama talking about a school shooting. Having the two different presidents bookending the song shows how this is a problem in the United States that won’t go away and makes the whole scenario even more tragic. This is a really powerful song that should perhaps come with a trigger warning.

The penultimate song is titled No Step On Snek. This is a song that goes on an all out assault against red neck Americans. The ones who have big pick up trucks, guns, love for the president and preach all lives matter. In my head, I’m also imagining them missing some teeth and chewing on a piece of straw. That last image might be because of the harmonica and foot stomping sound used at the end of the song. It’s a fun song that also highlights that there are some rubbish people out there who still need a lot of educating. I can imagine this song being quite the crowd pleaser at a Butts show. The tenth and final song is the album’s title track, So It Goes. At the risk of repeating every review I’ve written over the past six months, the final song on an album needs to be big and The Butts have achieved this. So It Goes is much slower than anything else on the album and really feels like a barroom sing-along. I think each of the verses on the song is sung by a different person and they talk about the rubbish things that happen in their life but how, overall, they are just trying to get on with things. This is the kind of song I could listen to twenty times in a row and find a different cool lyric each and every time. A very fitting way to finish the album.

I was so impressed by So It Goes. The Butts seem to have taken their songwriting to a whole new level here. It’s still a lot of fun but the range of topics that are covered is varied. When I first sat down to listen to it, I did not expect to be emotionally moved by one song let alone two. This is a must listen if you’re a fan of pop punk music.

Stream and downloaded So It Goes on Bandcamp here.

Like The Butts on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

CPRW Playlist: February 2022

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Chris, Dan#2, Emma, Ilse, Lara, Lee, Marcus, Omar, Rich, Richard, Robyn, Theo and myself have been listening to in February.

Album Review: Audible Trauma by Loss Of Signal (by Lara Roberts)

“What year is it?” pleads Alan Parrish in the iconic 90s film, Jumanji. “1995, remember?” replies Judy Shepherd. After pressing play on Audible Trauma, I can honestly say that I now know exactly how Alan felt in that moment.

After discovering Blink 182 and Green Day in my early teens, I started to look for similar sounding bands (not using Napster or Limewire, I promise). After some searching and compilation-listening, I found smaller labels and bands including The Ataris and Useless ID, with their albums Anywhere But Here and Bad Story Happy Ending respectively hardly ever leaving my portable CD player. Both of those albums are still two of my all-time favourites, and they both have a certain sound that I can’t quite describe, but it’s a sound of familiarity and nostalgia. As I’ve gotten older and listened to more pop-punk bands of that era, it seems like there was a certain style that the smaller label pop-punk bands had, and it’s a sound that I haven’t heard it since the early 00s. But then I played Loss Of Signal’s debut album Audible Trauma.

As you make your way through this album, the band’s influences will come as no surprise – Blink 182, Green Day, Sum 41. Products Of Our Time opens up with a nod to the NOFX classic Dinosaurs Will Die, leading us on to the single Underdogs. This song really sets the tone for the rest of the album – adorable melodies, sweet harmonies, a catchy chorus, great guitar riffs. For me, this song is a big old calling to Allister’s classic 2002 album Last Stop Suburbia.

For the Blink 182 fans (I see you), Grown Ups will instantly grab your attention with Barker-esque drumming. Then there’s the Delonge-sounding opening riff to Break Out. The vocals on Home are a mixture of self-titled era Hoppus and Delonge. But as clear as the influences are, Loss Of Signal still make the songs their own.

It’s a tale as old as time – songs about love and loss, with a dash of politics (that’s the punk part of pop-punk, of course). If you grew up during the heady days of the golden era of pop-punk – late 90s to the mid 00s – I can’t recommend this album enough. Audible Trauma is an absolute joy to listen to. I found myself reminiscing of my younger years, of friends that I’ve loved and lost. The album reminded me of the excitement I felt when I first discovered the bands that I still listen to and love, even 20 years later. Loss Of Signal know that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Stream and download Audible Trauma on Bandcamp here.

Like Loss Of Signal on Facebook here.

This review was written by Lara Roberts.

Album Review: Isolation by After The Fall (by Brett Coomer)

I was a little concerned that after waiting for what felt like a long time before the release of Dedication in 2020, one of my favourite albums of that year, After The Fall would make us wait another 5 years before releasing their seventh album. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried because it’s early 2022 and the Albany, New York, four-piece have thankfully given us a brand new album entitled Isolation. With 10 new tracks squeezed into 17 minutes, the songs are played at a mostly blistering pace, but without sacrificing any melody, lyricism or technical proficiency.

‘Ghosts’ kicks things off at high speed, showcasing the duelling vocals of Mike and Jasmine very nicely. Fast, short and sweet, this is the After The Fall everyone has grown to love and provides a great start to the album. Jasmine’s vocals pair perfectly with Mike’s and are prominent throughout the album. It makes for a really great dynamic and has become one of my favourite vocal combinations in punk.

‘Adios Amigo’ follows and is a surprisingly mid-tempo song with a catchy melody and some nice lead guitar flourishes. I may be missing some nuance behind the song but I feel like the lyrics are directed at a certain music label (and owner) the band was previously involved with who messed around with an album release. After the brief reprieve, the speed is turned up again with ‘Degradation’. The pace is perfect for the anger directed at the pro-white, blue-lives-matter, alt-right section of the population. The song also features some of the best dual vocal harmonies heard since Jasmine joined the band.

‘Firewood’ is a song that would fit right in on any of the band’s previous releases. It’s fast, it’s melodic, but it’s also a melancholic love song with lyrics that describe what it feels like to meet and be with the person who makes everything feel right and the willingness to sacrifice in order to keep that feeling.

‘Gas Money’ is the first song on the album fronted by Jasmine. It’s angry, fast and seems to be a clear message to the music industry, which continues to pay smaller independent bands terribly.

Next up is another more mid-tempo song that just passes the 2 minute mark. ‘Break A Leg’ proves that After The Fall doesn’t have to play everything fast to sound great. The song serves as a reminder to people motivated by wealth and success that stepping over people to achieve that could leave them with an empty life without love.

‘Failed You’ is like the sad ending to the story started with ‘Firewood’, a poignant song reflecting on the acceptance of a failed relationship and the point in time at which the realisation occurred. It’s another great example of how well the vocals of Jasmine and Mike compliment each other.

The two songs that follow have a combined length of 1:30, which is short even by punk rock standards. The first is the title track ‘Isolation’, which perfectly expresses the feelings most of us have experienced over the last 2 years while being mostly stuck at home. The second is ‘Smashed State’, which has some hints of 90s pop-punk and a melody most bands would kill to match with songs twice as long.

‘Mileage’, the album closer, is only the third song to crack 2 minutes and it takes advantage of the extra time available with 3 verses, providing both Mike and Jasmine an opportunity to sing a verse each as well as a guest appearance by Jon Snodgrass. The chorus is catchy and really hits home with the message that “things will never be the same again”.

If you were a fan of previous After The Fall releases, the 17-minute length of Isolation won’t surprise you. The quality of the songwriting and the Blasting Room production won’t shock you either. What might surprise you is how the band manages to stay so consistent without rehashing old ideas or sounding stale. The songs are like quick, sharp punk-rock jabs delivering endorphins and adrenaline. Even the slower or longer songs never feel out of place or insincere. And when the album is over, all you’ll want to do is find the play button to start it over again.

Stream and download Isolation on Bandcamp here.

Like After The Fall on Facebook here.

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

Gig Review: Filthy Militia Coping Mechanism EP Launch At The Black Heart, Camden 12/2/22

I always enjoy an album or EP launch party. There’s something about them that always seems to add some extra excitement in the crowd and the bands seem to bring that little bit more to their performances. It’s a good time all around. On Saturday the 12th of February, London ska punks Filthy Militia had their launch night for their new EP Coping Mechanism, at the Black Heart in Camden. The band had also invited their long time friends Codename Colin, Easydread and Laurence Crow to play the show. It was set to be a great night.

After finishing work we hurried to the station and made our way to London. Whilst on our way we discovered our branch of the Northern line was closed so would have to find another route to Camden for the gig (thanks for the heads up, Paul). This unfortunately delayed us getting to the Black Heart on time, as well as making me have to hear a busker playing Wonderwall. When we made it into the venue Laurence Crow was already a good way through his set. This was billed as Laurence’s last acoustic show and he seemed to be doing his utmost to make sure that he and everyone in attendance was having the best possible time. From what I managed to catch it, was an enthusiastic and spirited performance. The perfect opener to get the crowd warmed up for the rest of the night.

Next up were Bedfordshire ska/reggae act Easydread. I love Easydread. They’re my local band but this was my first time seeing them in years. There was a time when it felt like I saw them every month. On this occasion they were playing as a seven piece, which included a four person brass section which sound amazing. The band decided to start their set a little early so they could attempt to squeeze an extra song in (spoiler: they unfortunately failed). As it had been so long since I’d seen Easydread, I had forgotten just how much I enjoy seeing them live. The first half of the set seemed to be mostly new songs that they all STILL yet to release – but all sound fantastic. They then finished their set with classics such as Crosshatch Line, Fyah and, of course, Scrotes. It was a great set and I really enjoyed seeing how giddy they all seemed to be playing together again. When a band has as much fun as Easydread did it’s hard for that energy not to find its way into the crowd.

Codename Colin are one of the bands I’ve seen the most amount of times since gigs started to come back. They’re a band we’ve needed as they always bring the party-fun-times to their shows. Despite being a man down and Snowy having to be a one person brass section, they had the same energy and enthusiasm as always. Leaning into the pop punk side of ska, the band get off to a blistering start, instantly getting the crowd on side for a sing-along. To my surprise they played Kelly’s Missing as their second song. This got plenty of fists in the air with that brilliant chorus calling out pay to play gigs. From then on, they stormed through their set, showcasing just how many really good songs they have in their repertoire. They did take the time out to play a brand new song that they are in the process of recording as well as their now traditional cover of I Just Can’t Get Enough which lead to a room sized circle pit. There was unfortunately a moment where frontman Charlie had to ask some of the crowd to calm down slightly as some were getting too rowdy. I felt like he dealt with it brilliantly and the rest of the set went off without a hitch. This was a rare chance to see Codename Colin play a longer set and they absolutely smashed it. Great stuff.

It was soon time for the evening’s main event, Filthy Militia. This moment had been a long time coming for the band. The process of writing songs, doing their Kickstarter funding, recording Coping Mechanism and then finally getting the EP released had been over a year in the making and the band were now about to play the set of their lives. Starting the set with Coping Mechanism’s opener Another Day got the next forty-five minutes or so off to a wild start. It was nice to see the venue so busy and so excited for the set and that excitement only escalated as it went on. As well as playing all of the songs from Coping Mechanism, the band also played tracks from their first EP, Innocent Until Proven Filthy, as well as, the rarely performed live, Jesus. I was fortunate enough to get the EP early because Frosty is a super babe and I’ve been listening to it on repeat ever since so it was really cool to see the songs performed live. All were performed excellently and are making fantastic additions to the Filthy Militia live experience. Filthy Militia are a band that also like to have a bit of fun when they play live. At one point they stopped playing a song (I can’t remember which) to play the theme tune to the classic CBBC cartoon Arthur which got a great reaction. The highlight of the set for me was when they played the awesome Differences from Coping Mechanism. It’s a song about people overcoming the things that set them apart to unite. It’s a wholesome and positive song that feels as needed as ever in the current societal climate and it was great to have a sing-along to it. Despite it being the most complicated sing-along in ska punk. It’s not a classic Codename Colin “whoa-oh” segment that’s fer sho! When a whole room sings along though, it’s a special moment and I can’t wait for the next time I get to experience it. The set was finished in epic fashion with Land Of The Dead. The band were joined on stage by Tom Crabb of Lead Shot Hazard to play guitar so that Frosty could get in the crowd to sing the song. This then ended up with Frosty getting lifted up by the crowd and surfed within a three metre radius of the microphone – that’s how long the cable was. It all turned into a chaotic mess but it was just wonderful to see. Frosty’s best friend Sleeman hopped on stage to lead the chanting finale of the song and in one of the sweetest moments in gig history (maybe) they pointed Frosty out and said ‘that’s my friend’ with so much pride. It was wonderful.

I said in my review of the EP that Coping Mechanism was Filthy Militia taking things up a step. This set proved that they are no longer show openers and could easily find themselves in positions much higher up any ska punk bill and I’ve no doubt they’ll soon be headlining shows on regular occasions. It was a lovely night.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos also by Colin.

Album Review: Redeemon by Redeemon

The age old argument of how many tracks makes an album or it’s too long to be an EP is sure to rear its debatably ugly head in December when folk start compiling their end of year lists and have to work out which the self-titled debut from Redeemon is. It’s only five tracks but it is almost thirty minutes long. I’d argue that it’s an album but I’m sure someone will tell me I’m wrong. What we won’t disagree on is that it’s a really bloody good collection of songs from the band.

If you’re unaware of Redeemon, they are the new band forming out of the ashes of former UK skacore favourites Beat The Red Light. Featuring members of BTRL, Smokey Bastard, Junction Of Tiger Street and Voodoo Glow Skulls (recording only), the band are set to finally release their debut on Pookout Records in the Spring. Because Pook is a mega babe, he sent me an early copy for review. Such a babe, have you seen the man’s hair, it’s glorious… anyway, reviewing the skacore time.

We open things up with Operation Burnout. The track starts out with some slow drums before the brass and some guitar begin to build the song up. It also sounds as if there is some violin involved in this introduction. The feeling of anticipation grows massively and by the time we get to a saxophone screech and Pook’s vocals come in, you’re ready to get on this rollercoaster ride. BTRL were known for the heavier vocal growls but they’re not here. Instead we get the more melodic side of Pook. The song switches between theatrical alternative and upbeat ska in a way that you can only imagine these guys attempting. This is followed up by Pressure Switch. After another epic opening – a theme with all Redeemon songs – Pressure Switch shows off the heavier side of Redeemon. Pook’s deathly growls sound as good as ever and the guitars in the first third of the song totally shred. Soon the song switches back to the more melodic style that we heard in the opener. The song switches styles effortlessly and it never feels forced and manages to flow nicely. This is a real testament to the time the band spent crafting these songs. Even towards the song’s final minute, when the band get really quiet and atmospheric, it sounds perfectly placed and the build back up is just wonderful.

Redeemon originally released Anaphylactic as a single to give people a tease of what to expect from the band in the future. It feels like ages ago that it came out and I’m glad to see it make an appearance here. It was the perfect choice for a single as it encapsulates everything Redeemon do so well. Starting with some big brass and some shredding guitars, duelling with one another before coming together as one, until the tempo switches and we get this upbeat horn line that will get even the biggest metalheads having a skank. That horn line is one of my favourites I’ve heard in a long time and it fills the song with some great energy. The penultimate song on the album is titled Finest Mistakes. The band’s metal influences come out in full on this one. It’s one to really get your moshing boots on for and I wish I had a head of hair like Pook to have a proper headbang with. Once again, the guitars and brass sync up perfectly in ways that you don’t often hear. The creativity on display is something you’ve just got to hear to believe. Last but certainly not least is Escapade. I always say that the last track on an album needs to feel epic. I did wonder how Redeemon would pull this off as every other track already has an epic sound. Is it possible to go bigger than epic? Redeemon somehow managed to accomplish this by bringing in an acoustic guitar to start the song. This softer, more vulnerable side of the band came as quite the shock. It’s not long before the band plug back in and some electric guitars and brass begin to accompany the acoustic guitar and the song continues its long build. Pook’s vocals come in and I can’t help but think of Seal’s Kiss From A Rose. It’s a big hook and has plenty of emotion behind it. We reach the halfway point of the song and it’s time for Redeemon to get all Redeemon again with some fast paced upstrokes. This is a song that really showcases what incredible musicians everyone in Redeemon is and it is a very fitting way to finish things off.

You will not listen to a more creative, experimental (in a good way), musically proficient release this year. When I make that claim I’m talking about all genres of music as well; not just punk and ska. This album has been a long time coming but my goodess it’s been worth the wait.

Preorder Redeemon from Pookout Records here (and check out their distro for all your ska punk needs).

You can listen to Anaphylactic on Bandcamp here in the meantime and like Redeemon on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking by I Like Allie (by Lara Roberts)

The first full length from I Like Allie, they began recording this album in 2019 in Milan, and continued through 2020. Due to the pandemic, the band hit a few obstacles during recording and it took longer than planned, but the album was released in October 2021 on Engineer Records (UK), Paper + Plastick (US), No Reason Records (EU), and General Soreness Records (It).

The album itself is an honest exploration of anxiety, depression, peer pressure, and ultimately trying to let negativity go. Opening Number quietly eases the album open, layering vocals with a slight crescendo, while bleeding nicely into Your Superpowers Are Stupid. This is a pop-punk infused treat, with more defined guitars and faster drums, and a hint of them pushing through the “standard” pop-punk sound. Loss and regret are covered in the short song How Weak I Can Be – a sweet little love letter of a tune with lyrics that are easy to relate to. The album sways back and forth between classic melodic pop-punk and incorporating new ideas into the mix, calling on the different musical styles and tastes of each band member (eg. Cliches of Love Stories and title track Rare Instances of Independent Thinking). Laura Stevenson lends her vocals at the end of the album, adding a light, ghostly backdrop to Renato’s lead. 

Here’s the thing. I love 90s emo and melodic hardcore, and I really wanted this album to work for me – Jeff Dean engineered the album (who also worked with Samiam, Braid), and Dan Coutant mastered it (The World Is A Beautiful Place, War On Women), which obviously peaked my interest when I read the press kit. On top of that, I adored I Like Allie’s 2016 emo-pop-punk EP The Wounds You Leave, but I can’t help but feel like there’s something missing from Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking, even though I’m not sure what that thing is.

Saying that, I can’t fault the band for trying a new avenue, and experimenting with maturing their earlier pop-punk/pop-emo sound. There is a gentle vulnerability in Renato’s voice that lends itself very well to that early emo sound, and it really does feel like they’ve taken on a lot of influence from 90s melodic emo bands, and looked to merge it with their own.

Stream and download Rare Instances Of Independent Thinking on Bandcamp here.

Like I Like Allie on Facebook here.

This review was written by Lara Roberts.