Faintest Idea – ‘Increasing The Minimum Rage’ [Review]

Since May 7, 2015, Britain’s been so fucked that it’s hard to know where to begin criticising the Tories.

Faintest Idea sum up the general feelings of the UK’s younger generation on track one of Increasing The Minimum Rage. Circling The Drain sees Faintest Idea marry two classic ska-punk elements – cheeky-chappy rhythms and cathartic aggression – while taking on governmental mismanagement, and it’s full steam ahead into a raucous, entertaining, and provocative thrill ride.

With eleven tracks total to play with, Faintest Idea take full advantage of Read more…

Posted on 09 March 2016

Therapy? – ‘Tides EP’ [Review]

Over the course of the past 26 years, Therapy? have been renowned for diving deep into the darkest recesses of the human mind, and returning with musical treasures aplenty.

2015’s Disquiet – listed as one of TMMP’s albums of the year – was a hard-rocking winner, crammed with Read more…

Posted on 23 February 2016

IDestroy – ‘Vanity Loves Me EP’ [Review]

If you think girls can’t rock, you’re nothing more than a master of rectal ventriloquism.

For proof, see IDestroy’s new EP. With one eye on the era of classic punk, and the other on the modern world where “rough around the edges” is an increasing rarity, Vanity Loves Me is a Read more…

Posted on 20 February 2016

Blood Youth – ‘Closure’ [Review]

Countless songs have been written about overcoming problems and moving on – but Blood Youth’s music cuts deeper than the average. 2015’s debut EP Inside My Head proved a hell- and hair-raising hardcore rampage, fuelled by Kaya Tarsus’ mind-inflaming personal struggles – and now, Blood Youth have reached the point of Closure.

It’s well deserved, to say the least.

Listening to Closure, it felt like my brain was being Read more…

Posted on 18 February 2016

The TiPs – ‘Twists ‘N’ Turns’ [Review]

Play musical word association with the name “Düsseldorf,” and you’re likely to come up with either “Kraftwerk,” or perhaps “punk”. Reggae is unlikely to make the shortlist – but The TiPs are on a mission to change that.

Reggae has always possessed a keen sense of political and social awareness, and The TiPs keep that particular torch burning throughout Twists ‘N’ Turns. From immigration (Leaving Home) to Read more…

Posted on 07 February 2016

Milk Teeth – ‘Vile Child’ [Review]

We’re all familiar with the feeling of being on the edge of falling apart. Struggling to get by, yet somehow keeping it together.

Milk Teeth’s music is the sonic embodiment of that state of mind.

Vile Child is a fucking challenging album. Imagine a mega-jam involving pretty much every even remotely grunge-related band from the ’90s, the chaos controlled only by an insistence that the results groove as hard as Read more…

Posted on 26 January 2016

Petrol Girls – ‘Some Thing’ [Review]

In a culture that’s become increasingly impersonal and dehumanising, bands willing to get their hands dirty and dig into real, human issues are more essential than ever before. Turn on the radio and you’ll hear plenty of auto-tuned and hyperquantized songs about going to a club and getting “crunk on da flo’,” but turn it off and look around you and you immediately realise that the radio doesn’t reflect reality.

Why?

Because it’s easier to bury your head in the sand than it is to take even the smallest of actions. Petrol Girls get this – and Read more…

Posted on 19 January 2016

Secret Black Boyfriend – ‘This Is What Happens When Everyone Wins A Trophy’ [Review]

Secret Black Boyfriend are more than an odd name. They’re an odd band, with a hard-to-categorise sound. For most of their second album, they sound like Reuben jamming with Rage Against The Machine’s rhythm section – only to throw a massive curveball on final track Hepatinnitus, where bleak, noise-ridden math-punk is the order of the day.

This album will have you scratching your head while rocking out – so do it in public at your peril.

Opening track Baby Shooter hits hard with raw, incensed lyrics addressing domestic violence – and seventh cut High Fives Save Lives hits the same mark with one of the best riffs of the lot and words directed at Read more…

Posted on 08 October 2015