Labels: Suspect Device
Review by: Russell Opie
There are many advantages of having one half (or is it one third now?) of the Suspect Device team working next door to my lecture theatre – and being able to pick up the new, fresh of the press, ‘Tone 7″ certainly numbers among them. Two new songs from the band that everyone loves – one of which is absolutely fantastic. If you’ve seen these guys play live over the past few months you’ll probably recognise ‘I Don’t Wanna Talk About It’. Embodying all the best characteristics of the Rugger Bugger stalwarts : melodic Clash inspired tuneage and a great sing-a-long chorus : “the rich get richer and the poor stay poor, choked by need and chained by law” this is a bona-fide must hear tune. Sadly, the other song is a little (actually a lot) less essential but its fun all the same.
Flip the vinyl for Annalise and ‘Hit the Bottle’ (taken from the latest album). And thats when it hit me – this song is fucking excellent! And I should have known that already because I’ve had the album for ages now and never really given it the attention it deserved. It seems like whenever I put the CD on I’d end up wandering off to make a coffee. Or I’d be distracted by the hordes of little kids that spend all day racing up and down our street on their crazy homemade bikes. Whatever. This is quality melodic punk with sincere and honest lyrics and I absolutely love it. The other track, ‘The Little Things’, is also pretty neat – and exclusive to this release.
Two superb UK bands playing punk-rock that is both inspiring and honest. And a great advert for the UK scene at that.