ASTPAI – ‘Burden Calls’ [Review]
From the opening building blocks of Single Use to the gritty, harsh tones of Emotion In The Way, Burden Calls is a brilliant mix of the familiar and original. Yes, it’s punk – but there are plenty of imaginative touches that set ASTPAI apart from the rest. Whether it be a dose of mathy complexity, a moment of melancholy vibes, or a surge of cliff-jumping explosiveness, ASTPAI aren’t afraid to push the boat out beyond the traditional, often militantly enforced boundaries that separate classic punk from contemporary rock. Read more…
Chronographs are one of my favourite bands of right now. Their current project – writing, recording, and releasing a song a month for a year – is, in my opinion, more relevant to modern life than the more traditional album release cycles still employed throughout the record business. Each time Chronographs release a track it describes precisely how they feel right now – or have felt very recently. 
This album is so awesome, I reviewed it twice. There’s a long version, and a short version. 
Chronographs are a recent discovery, and they’ve made a real impact in a very short time. I’ve written a lot recently about how I try to offer constructive criticism where possible; but I just can’t think of any way to improve this band. Chronographs are like a firework with a lit fuse. Your best course of action is to stand well back, and watch them go. 
I’m going to skip any introductory stuff and just jump to…
This EP is a triumph.
Here at TMMP, grassroots music is a big deal. I’ve never understood why people will happily watch rubbish, stuck-in-a-rut TV talent shows that promote an illusory path to instant fame (and drop almost every winner once the last pennies have been squeezed from their exhaustive promotional activities) when hundreds of far more fascinating stories can be found just down the road, at a local music venue like 
Let’s be honest here – when it comes to the football, England never learns. 1966 was a long time ago – almost half a century ago, actually. Football is the beautiful game…as long as Spain are playing. Or Brazil. Or Italy. Or…well, anyone but us.
TMMP readers know all too well how much we love Signals. I’ve