Labels: Crackle Records
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Good ole Crackle. Every now and again they stem their tide of home brewed pop punk releases (most of which are of the highest quality) and ply us with a band that we might not otherwise get to hear. For Caustic Soda are from ‘down under’. In fact, they have been described as ‘the Australian Jawbreaker’, which is a good start.
First up, “Same Ending, Different Story” sets the table with some powerful and noisy melodic hardcore punk. I think it’s a little like some of Broccoli’s heavier and faster songs in a way. Has a nice tuneful chorus to hook you in, breaking up the harsher sound of the rest of the song and the vocals. “Short Changed” is next up, and rather more standard pacy melodic hardcore that any number of bands do. Except Caustic Soda’s lyrics are much better. And there is a way good bit at the end where the music stops and they’re just shouting. There might be a bit of Leatherface in this one. Flip it for “Shuffle & Scrape” and “Part & Parcel”. The former starts off very slowly and darkly, before getting heavier. Yup, there’s definitely some Jawbreaker in this one. The latter wraps things up with a very Snuff-esque effort. Similar vocals, similar sound. Rather good, if a little short.
It’s not often I get to hear music coming out of Australia, and this is pretty good stuff. Although I do feel I have to apologise unreserveredly to all citizens of that country for England beating them in a cricket match. It won’t happen again.