Labels: Crackle Records
Review by: Russell Opie
Its 5:30 AM and I’ve just back from Ian’s house after finally completeing this weeks dreaded coursework. Because its done that means I can lie in tomorrow, so I figured I may stay up a bit later and write about this wonderful album. Fellow reviewers tell me that this is the best time to review stuff – well I’m not convinced but here goes anyway….
This was the last Chopper release before they split up. Its a shame because this album for me defines good punk music – its melodic and loud punk with fast, clear and meaningful vocals. I love this band. So you are probably asking yourselves – “all very well and good, but who do they sound like?” Well I don’t know. On paper they are a fairly generic UK punk band. But somehow this album offers something more – something that no-one else seems to have.
My only complaint with this album is that some consecutive songs sound very similar and so it can be hard to tell where one song finishes and the next starts. But since there all so damn good anyway – I suppose it doesn’t really matter – and I’m sure not gonna complain. But sadly, before you know it the musical extravaganza of a lifetime is over. You’ll just want to go straight back to track one and play it again, to enjoy it in all its pop-punk-tasticness and the intelligence that it has to offer.
This kind of music wants to make me get up and bounce about. Unfortunately, because its at a time when all my housemates are asleep I have had to resort to playing this on headphones, thus preventing me from jumping around. Its a shame that they are still not together because I bet they are a great live band. I reckon they would provide a great atmosphere and judging by this album they have some amazing songs to which you can bound about the floor like a chimp in a record shop. (Hang on thats not right?!?!?)
This album is 10 songs of pure pop-punk genius, but there are definitely some hardcore undertones going on here. Frankly this band is too good and you shouldn’t be without their last ever release. Why is it just as you discover a truly wonderful band – they split up. The curse of Collective strikes once again.