Labels: Bombed Out Records
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Man, Joe 90! What a programme. I had a Joe 90 annual, full of crazy stories about the kid in glasses. And it rocked. So do the band! When Collective puts out it’s first 7″ I want it to look and sound this good. This is the first release on Bombed Out Records. And them boys did good.
Basically – small but perfectly formed Inglesi pop punk, done in the tradition of all the good ‘uns. Band it initially most reminded me of was the Scarper! 7″ on Resolve. It’s got those same insanely pop tunes, and great vocals. You’ll grind you foot through the carpet to “Once Upon A Time” and bounce around the room stoopdily to “Clean Break” with it’s great chorus packed full of backup vocals. The band kind of also reminds of Dagobah in that they play rather fast but without ever losing the important bit – the tune – anywhere. It’s all carried on in the bouncy “Sophism”, then the sort of J-Church-ish “Perfect Place”, and finally the galloping “Love Song”, which totally rocks, except it seems to have been recorded on a lower volume.
Beautifully done black and white packaging and the record looks fantastic too, done in that splendid Crackle style of recent times. Way good.
Love UK pop punk, love Joe 90.