Labels: Boss Tuneage
Review by: Andy Malcolm
These guys have been around the block, and as such they make music that is highly palatable to people who used to read Fracture zine and listen to everything on Boss Tuneage around the turn of the century. Members previously did time in Woolworthy and Not Rebecca, the former of which will probably only be remembered by the most stalwart of Boss Tuneage fans. Textbook deliver 6 songs of straight ahead melodic punk which sounds very much like any number of UK bands playing this kind of thing over the past 20+ years, although given that they are from Chicago there are likely to be specific influences at play.
I am always happy to listen to this kind of music, the main features of which tend to be chunky, driving guitars with simple but effective melodies. Bands of this type never over complicate things, and are smart enough to not out stay their welcome. Stand out song for me is the slower paced, “Laugh Out Loud” which throws in some lovely twinkly bits here and there. Out of My Universe only has one track that cracks 3 minutes, and in a live arena I get the feeling that they’d play their 10 best songs and be done in 30 minutes, to leave you to go home happy.
Textbook is a pretty apt name, for this is regulation melodic punk that smartly abides by the genre definitions. No complaints here at all, this is super solid, rocking and tuneful stuff with just enough bite to ensure it remains a decent listen. Paunchy gentlemen of a certain age, apply within!