Posted on January 2, 2010 - by Editor

EP Reviews

Record Profits
Intro5pect
A-F Records

I remember seeing the Californian band play at Rebellion Festival a few years ago and their strong affinity to fellow performers Leftover Crack, Stza even joining them onstage. Audibly they are a crossover between anarcho punk akin to Leftover Crack but with chorus sing-along’s similar to that of Anti Flag and most notably presented in a electro punk format with heavy drum machine and synths thrown in. The other big similarity to the fore mentioned bands is the strong political message in their music, fighting the world order and capitalist system. It’s not a sound that will please everyone but the music; fast, catchy and the diverse electronic blend of electro punk drenched in anti-consumerism and anti capitalist rhetoric is a delivered honestly and their middle finger (seven song) response is driven by the split female male vocals.

Cokie The Clown
NOFX
Fat Wreck Chords

The long serving “comedic” punks , NOFX released this EP towards the end of last year, with leftovers of their full length “Coaster” from earlier in 2009. Kicking off with the title track of “Cokie The Clown” (caricature reference to monsieur Fat Mike himself), trademark fast riffs and super catchy melodies and choruses are ever present through the EP and of course their humour, self defecating and dark on the opening track at least. The second track “Straight Outta Massachusetts” is far more light hearted, blaming the cold weather for his move over to West Coast.

It’s not the best EP you will ever hear and some of the songs could comfortably have made the full length “Coaster” record, but the undoubted highlight will be the stripped down, emotional version of “My Orphan Year”. The much talked about song, in which Fat Mike has started to unveil his personal life discussing the year in which both his parents died, is the next step of NOFX’s recent decision to grant more access to a band (DVD-Backstage Passport, increased interviews, etc.) and to let fans have a glimpse of the band behind the poppy sarcastic and goofy humour that has veiled them for 20 odd years.

It Starts Here
Billy Liar
Self released

This five track EP (which admittedly has been out a wee while) is from one a Scottish acoustic punk poet and featuring Robin Guy (Faith No More) on drums, and Nick Mailing (Quireboys) on bass. It’s an EP that’s both honest and insightful with subject matter personal to the Scott. The opening self titled track instantly reminds me of The Cure, and it is a dark acoustic driven collection of songs that linger on hope, love and life on the emotionally and physical (alcohol) battled streets to which Billy refers. It’s an impressive and likable EP which will not do any damage to a growing reputation of a gifted performer and song writer.

C45
I Remember tapes
The Animal Farm

This three track EP from a four piece of Winchester, England is an intelligent and catchy offering from a band that has taken musical influences from a range of sources but on this EP deliver a post punk offering that is driven by their indie guitar and sing along choruses. It’s a moody collection (Morrisey?) and truly British with hints of the Jam and Britpop and modern Indie meaning that the three songs give an impression of a band bound (or aiming) for commercial success rather than any grassroots punk environment.

Dodging The Bullets
Pressure 28
Self Released

This is a four track EP of Oi & street punk rock, distinctly British in vocals and their name draped in the Union Jack on the EP cover.  The band as far as I understand is in their second form of existence after a stint in the early 90’s. It’s not a bad grouping of songs, bass guitar prominent and the vocals backed by gang sing-alongs on the choruses but ultimately not a band that pokes its head above so many in a genre that has few masters and many pretenders.  For old school fans of punk and Oi but there are better bands out there.

Chillin’ Out
Rotten Bark
Underground

An accomplished and professionally packaged EP (with a load of marketing material), from a pop punk band from Poland. The humorous press release (largely due to the poorly written overly adjective heavy summary) aside, the five piece are trying hard to enter a flooded market and going about it in the right way at least in my opinion in terms of self promotion. Musically there is not much to shout about though, they are obviously, and self confessed fans of the So-Cal punk scene and strong hints of mid 90’s bands like Pulley or Face to Face come to mind although nowhere as near accomplished. There are three songs on the EP and they are melodic in the pop punk vein, guitar driven (plenty of solos) and reasonably catchy but I’m afraid there isn’t enough quality here to back up their best intentions.