Labels: Save Your Generation
Review by: Peter James Beswick
The press release boasts that braidedveins sounds a lot like Refused, Fugazi, The Bronx and even Black Flag. I don’t know why I am going to write anything beyond that to be honest. That is a pretty decent list of bands to describe the noise that braidedveins produce if you mix them all up and reveal little one to two minute bursts at a time. The best bit about braidedveins however is that they do that extended list of bands they sound like justice. Don’t let their naff name and entertaining song titles fool you, this EP is the real deal for fans of real sounding punk/hardcore in the most traditional of meanings.
Now I am not saying it is as classic as some Blag Flag moments or as boundary pushing as Refused but then this is now and that was then. What I can say is that it is best to buy this EP whilst you can so you can tell everyone you were there first, when this bad boy landed. It could do with a few catchier moments as I was dying to sing a long but found myself struggling a little in the fist pumping department. The final song gave me a little of what I was after and I suspect on a full length I may get just that. Stand out is ‘The Nature Cruise Of The Century!’ and it truly is a beast of a song that contains the swagger of Motorhead with the rawness Fugazi and is over before you can say ‘Hey, come and listen to this rather enjoyable song about punk stuffs.’
What braidedveins do well is they don’t overstay their welcome. At 7 songs in well under 14 minutes I was left wanting more not wishing it was over. This EP does at times feel like a showcase for the band rather than a complete piece of work that flows but each song is a testiment to a solid effort and an exercise in writing great punk/hardcore songs that even your mum can enjoy. In short if you do like the bands mentioned at the start of this review then you should do yourself a favour and buy this record. It really is rather good indeed.