Jackson Reid Briggs and the Heaters – ‘Waiting in a Corner’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Jackson Reid Briggs and the Heaters – ‘Waiting in a Corner’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Yet another killer record of well crafted fuzzy punk rock has landed in my inbox from down under. Public transport companies worldwide should take heed of the Australian alternative rock scene due it’s sheer reliability and quality service. Lining up nicely with their fellow alumni of Zombeaches, Stiff Richards and the classic go-to benchmarks of the Saints and Radio Birdman, but also showcasing their album to album growth here on record number 5.

First track proper ‘if you only knew’ storms in with the rock radio potential of Gaslight Anthem but with it’s roots still heavily in a dirty garage rock sound, demonstrating enough force to make the purists take notice.
The release continues in this vein, with the sound having formidable presence like that of an big old folk ensemble or the outnumbering force of the E Street Band. Just as track ‘too many years’ rolls around, you think the bubble has burst and the pace has relented. But after a sublime intro the band shows even more intensity, a chest thumping rhythm, excellent guitar effects all combined with an infectious sing along chorus.
The whole record maintains this same trend without sounding repetitive or predictable while keeping a strong momentum, showing great promise and well deserving in getting their name out there on the national scene. The only dismissive I can say about the album is it comes to an end too abruptly, but when you look at the groups solid output of five releases in the past five years no one could ever accuse them of phoning it in.
With a physical UK release on the cards at the end of the month and recent gigs by the band in Australia, here’s hoping that we can all look forward to a tour to promote it when the world hopefully pulls out of this nosedive.
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Author: Dan Kasm

Knowso – ‘Specialtronics Green Vision’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Knowso – ‘Specialtronics Green Vision’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Debut album from Clevelands Knowso sees the punks dish up a record that’s spiky in your face full of challenging punk where they’ve been influenced by the likes of Fugazi, No means No, Devo Black Flag and other such luminaries of the US scene.

Take second track in ‘Chosen Sun’ and its complex time changes it’s not a sloppy three-chord smash it out that’s for sure. Lyrics that mean something and bass lines that poke and jar at the listener juping out from the verses and poking rather than swinging punches.

Cuts like ‘Calamine’ is a great hight end bass-thumping, jarring and slicing that slashes like Devo if they were full of fury.

They use tapes and try to fuck with the listeners head with ‘Wrong Calculator’ being a fitting example. They then get a bit funky with the jazzy ‘Peaceful & Extinct’ as they throw in some serious time changes and keep a tight ship on those changes whilst throwing in everything including the kitchen sink into the chaos. This record is like a Heston Bloomenthal creation what you see on the outside isn’t necessarily what flavour is on the inside once you take a bite. ‘Digital God’ is a good example.

Taking the ten tracks in one sitting is at time punishing and I found myself drifting mentally maybe you have to physically prepare like an athlete and this isn’t a record you can enjoy cold without warming up.  Maybe small bursts to begin with before building up to a full-on takedown of Knowso. I guess it was always there to fuck with you and they do that and the bass is an audio assault for sure constantly jabbing a punching your ears.  Ajit punks need only apply, is there a genre for Math punk yet? Its alternative I know that much.

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Author: Dom Daley