After numerous releases on Drunken Sailor, Total Punk, Neck Chop, then teaming up with The Beta Blockers for his last full release, Erk is back, this time on his own.

‘Bugs’ was released on cassette tape back in 2020, So it makes sense to follow it up a year later on vinyl. It might be a solo recording but damn, you wouldn’t think it, right from the total punk of the opening track ‘Our Hungry Fruit’ there is something of an outpouring a relentless no let-up – full audio assault from the weird headfuck opening introduction of ‘Bugs’ its full-tilt throw a grenade and see what happens musical journey.

Erik has that Devo influence, but with a “new new wave” sound Distorted, frantic, not afraid to run with a Bontempi synth rather than a thrashing guitar and the pots and pans drum machine as well, Erik knows what he’s doing. It’s punk for sure but with unashamed pop music thrown in with equal amounts of gusto.

It is packed with frantic schizoid punk like ‘Instant This Instant That’ followed by the more trad punk of  ‘Futurekick Again’ ‘Bugs’ is the sound of another pandemic summer that’s equal amounts of shit and enjoying the isolation you didn’t think you would get. Erik sounds like he’s had the best of times every time be it 202 or 2021 it still sounds fresh and fantastic.  ‘Wrong Weird’ probably sums up this record weird in a good heads fucked way of course and again followed it up with something completely different like the fantastically named ‘Piss Eyed Sleazoid’. We sort of end up where this record began with the ‘Bugs!!’ outro.  a Weird and slightly wonderful slab of work from the talent that is Erik Nervous so if you’re looking for some punk rock that’s impressive whilst being different and left of center then ‘Bugs’ is for you.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley