
It’s always a great day when you get news that the mighty Los Pepes have a brand new album they want you to listen to. ‘Out Of The Void’ is Los Pepe doing exactly what Los Pepe does, they make rapid power pop punk rock n roll and do it as good as anyone has ever done it and have sailed through the choppy waters of Rock n Roll with consummate ease making records playing shows and never ever ever dropping the ball. In fact there aren’t as many underground bands currently kicking out the jams as well as these guys and in songwriter and vocalist guitarist Ben Perrier who has the gift that never seems to run dry of writing excellent tunes all the time every record is as good if not better than the last but never worse and thus far have never failed to deliver.
I know it’s a cliche, but ‘Out OF The Void’ is better than their last album, which I think to that point was the best record they’d ever made. Twelve songs that take you on a tried and tested journey, beginning with the sprightly ‘Thoughtless Boys’ right through to ‘Tomorrow And Today’, it weaves with slight variety on a theme that has served them well since their inception (I do wonder how Ben manages to write so many consistent tunes and melodies). ‘New Christians’ is a belter, elevating the power pop melody with some serious points, and when Ben states that New Christians make him sick, you pay attention,n and the twist in the down turn the Ramones intro turns into some Buzzcocks inspired melody on a fantastic song. He doesn’t just keep his distant for New Christians politicians and Nazis have some stick as well. This might just be my favourite song he’s written, and boy, has he written some songs.
There are many twists and turns present on this album, and the quality is relentless. ‘Sweet Appeasement’ is Los Pepes taking things easy, holding back on thrashing around and layering the song with keys and a shimmering reverb-soaked guitar. This is a slice of awesome new wave with some total 50s pop thrown in like a hand grenade with the pin pulled. Johnny Thunders would certainly approve. The sound is really complemented with a great production that lifts the songs in all the right places. ‘Future History’ is more power pop/new wave but still sounding modern and vibrant and not at all dated with a great time shift on the bridge leading to a killer solo that raises the game with its simplicity.
Much like fellow UK punk Rockers Cyanide Pills, they’ve both turned in superb new records that see them evolve and throw new directions into the mix without changing the band’s DNA but expanding their appeal. ‘Above And Beyond’ is rockin’ before ‘Short Term Solution’ kicks it up a gear as we head into the home straight.
2025 has thus far been one hell of a strong year for new albums, and it’s only getting stronger with albums as good as this one. ‘All I Got Is Time’ could be on a classic Blondie record from the early days, and that whirling keyboard is like audio crack. The album closes with the floor filler that is ‘Tomorrow And Today’, and we’re done. Los Pepe deliver a mature new album that sees them arrive at the point they’ve been chasing since day one. An album that has variety, but most importantly of all, excellent songs at every turn. Album of the year contender,r no doubt about it. Buy, steal or borrow ‘Out Of The Void’ is all killer no filler! Long Live Los Pepes!
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Author: Dom Daley
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