Labels: Lookout
Review by: Russell Opie
First time I listened to this band I thought that they were actually Dillinger Four. No, really. Man was I confused? Every aspect of this bands sound remind me so much of the greatness that is D4. From the vocals to the riffing guitars to the political lyrics. This is a bit good. I am well impressed with this album, which is actually a collection of the bands previous EP release’s and cuts from compilations.
This is one of those albums where you absolutely have to read the lyrics to get the full appreciation of what is going on. I can’t stress this enough – read the lyrics as you are listening to the album and you will discover that the songs are punk-rock with social awareness. Every song has intelligent lyrics that are generally very thought provoking. Like Dillinger Four they have a point to make about the state the world is in, wanting something better and not to give up when things don’t go right.
So, I think we’ve established that I quite like this band. Standout tracks? Hmmmm. Impossible to say – they are all so damn stunning. But my favourites include: “Future Daydream” which appears to be an ode to doomsday – what a happy bunch of guys this lot are! “Freedom Is…” is another of my favourites. The lyrics are just so in touch with what goes on in the world today. He sings about homelessness, poverty, government exploitation and starving people in third world countries. And all this to catchy guitar riffs and a tuneful punk sound.
Every song basically covers a separate issue that is obviously very close to this bands heart. “In Control” is a song about the different ways people try to maintain their own control over others. And as if the ‘raw’ lyrics of this song aren’t enough to get you thinking, there is even a half page description of the song, its relevance and what it all means. This is just too deep. And possibly what is the catchiest song on the album: “Hey Now” talks about people who give up and get in a bad mood when things don’t go right. What you may initially think is on a lighter note, they also do a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” which is a very cool song that I hadn’t heard in ages, and I love rocking punk covers of classic pop songs. Groovy. But then it hit me. This song is just as politically aware as any other track on the album.
In conclusion, this is punk-rock type stuff with a melodic tune (just like Dillinger Four). So everyone should be happy and maybe you will have learnt a little bit, or changed your view on life or something as well. This has been playing in my CD player permanently for the last three days. And it will have to be there even longer for me to fully appreciate everything that goes on in this wonderful gem of an album.