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RUTS DC TO RELEASE NEW EP

RUTS DC TO RELEASE NEW EP

‘BOUND IN BLOOD’ OUT SEPTEMBER 11TH VIA SOSUMI RECORDINGS ON CD AND 10” VINYL

PRE-ORDER HERE

Ruts DC have been extraordinarily prolific since the release of their last studio album ‘Counterculture?’ back in 2022. With their creative juices flowing freely, they cut two further volumes of their acclaimed ‘ElectrAcoustiC’ series, with volume two arriving in 2023 and volume three in 2024. Now the band are set to return again with a brand new four-song EP titled ‘Bound In Blood’, set for release September 11th via Sosumi Recordings. Due for release on CD and green and black smoke 10” vinyl, the EP leads with the song ‘Bound In Blood’, that first appeared in acoustic form on the aforementioned ‘ElectrAcoustiC’ Volume 3, followed by another brand new song titled ‘Wear The Crown’, although there are no A and B side preferences, leaving the listener or DJ to decide according to their mood and/or choice.

A message from Segs …

“Greetings all. We decided to make our first ever 10-inch EP! 4 tracks,3 songs 2 dubs.”

And here’s what’s on it:

BOUND IN BLOOD – “Some of you will know the song from ElectrAcoustiC vol.3 but here it is re-recorded in its full electric glory.”

BORN INNOCENT – Mitt’s Immortal Mix “A new mix featuring and dedicated to Mitt Gamon: This is one of the final records that Mitt played on before moving on to other realms. Glad to say that he actually heard and approved it before leaving us.”

WEAR THE CROWN – “The music had been circulating for some time, but lyrics finished following our Kings coronation “I pledge allegiance to autonomy”

DUB THE CROWN – “Time to think for yourself.”

“We hope you love it…”

Lovingly crafted for their own Sosumi Recordings label: the EP is packaged in stunning artwork based on an original painting by Oliver Howard thereby continuing the RuTs legacy of “Howard Artwork” (Rupert Howard who created the artwork for The Crack, Grin and Bear It, Rhythm Collision etc  that was initiated on RuTs debut LP “The Crack” in 1979.  (original painting now owned and cherished by Henry Rollins).

As they move towards the RUTS 50th anniversary tour in 2027, the solid trio of Segs, Ruffy and Heggarty are joined on this release by Rhythm Collision collaborator Mitt Gamon on harmonica and Boz Boorer on extra guitars to make this a very special one-off release.

Segs – “Keeping it real with an EP that is close to our hearts. One song about forgiveness, one about equality and one about Autonomy – it’s a must have.”

Bound In Blood EP track-listing:

  1. Bound In Blood
  2. Born Innocent (Mitt’s Immortal Mix)
  3. Wear The Crown
  4. Dub The Crown

Live Shows in 2026

Sept 22 Göteborg Sweden, Sept 24 Upsala Sweden, Sept 25 Stockholm Sweden, Sept 26 Nörrkoping Sweden

Nov 14 Morcombe Festival, Nov 20 Southampton 1865, Nov 21 Brighton Chalk,

Nov 22 London Electric Ballroom

Find Ruts DC online at:

www.rutsdc.com

Daddy’s Boy – ‘Four Hombres’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Daddy’s Boy – ‘Four Hombres’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

2022 saw Daddy’s Boy’s debut hit the shelves, well, buckle up, kids they’re back to kick the living fuck into your senses and eardrums with their nosebleed loud hardcore noise. ‘Four Hombres’ is a magnificent racket – a no-means-no style assault: angular, sharp guitar noise filling every void imaginable. It’s an intense sonic kicking your given through the medium of hardcore punk. The Chicago-based quartet push the boundaries of what’s acceptable as the songs ramble on with often hypnotic unison riffage and lick after lick whilst the rhythm section hypnotises through their instruments.

‘Four Hombres’ was recorded in Chicago with longtime friend Greg Norman. According to drummer Neal Markowski, the band were keen to ‘break any habits’ they’d developed, and sure enough, they turn in an intense record. The opener is nothing short of sensational, and my advice would be to turn it up, get your head in those speaker bass bins and take it on the chin. ‘Divorce’ sounds like a fuckin avalanche with rocks tumbling down all around you with no chance of escape. The songs are short and oh so sweet, and with no chance of any fat settling on this lean, mean machine, Daddy’s Boy are killing it.

Reflecting the current climate in America, it’s sometimes chaotic, loud, brutal, confrontational, but unlike America, this is bloody good. They should get together with Dead Pioneers and hit the road it would be glorious. ‘Crows Feet’ lends itself to the band declaring war on your senses, the vocals sound distant before abruptly ending.

The title ‘Four Hombres’ is a ZZ Top nod that was chosen, Markowski adds, because “we’re four dudes who like making music together.” This is where any link to ZZ Top ends, hell, these guys would have terrified tres hombres. Eighteen minutes of brutal sensory assault, but in the best possible way, hardcore never sounded so essential. Get a hard hat and step away from the speakers, but do remember to turn it up but at a safe distance.

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Author: Dom Daley

Ruckus – ‘Self-Titled’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Ruckus – ‘Self-Titled’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

I love a good noisy record full of enthusiasm and clearly in love with the process of making music.

Ruckus hail from Boston via New York, centred around the vocals and lyrics of Kam Lindsey (once of oi faves, The Stance). They’re also former members of The New York Hounds (drummer Alex Palazzo and rhythm guitarist Brian Crozier), plus bassist Mario DaCosta, with more lead guitars from Nick Norrman (Ingrates) and Ethan Stahl (The Prize, Loose Lips).

I know there are only six tracks here, but it’s an introduction, and I like that, easing you in gently. Well, when I say gently, that’s not strictly true; it’s like a throwback to a land time forgot. ‘Talk Ain’t Cheap Enough’ has a rough house guitar with splendid guitar breaks from the Berry meets Thunders school of no-nonsense, as long as it fits shimmering through a distant reverb that’s wayyyy too loud and a walking bassline that’s doing the heavy lifting. All wrapped in a great pop song.

There’s a strut and confidence about ‘Pocket Full Of Cash’, all David Johansen meets Sylvain, and it’s infectious like they’re having the best time ever and making records is fun. ‘Hot In The City’ is more of the same with a great hook to reel you in. ‘Hello From Up Here’ sounds familiar without knowing what to put your finger on, but these cats would have had a ball playing the old Wardour Street Marquee with Hanoi and the Lords, with a dash of the craziness thrown in for good measure.

Where I’m from, a Rukus is a fight, and this would be a glorious punch-up in a bar as long as the women are beautiful and the beers cheap and everyone’s having the best of times. It’s only rock n roll, after all. Pick this up if you like your music catchy, rough, but a whole lot of fun.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Bar Stool Preachers – ‘Party Eternal’ (Self-Released)

The Bar Stool Preachers – ‘Party Eternal’ (Self-Released)

A decade on from the release of their self-financed ‘Blatant Propaganda’ debut Brighton ska punks The Bar Stool Preachers return with their fourth record ‘Party Eternal’, and this time around they add producer Cameron Webb (Motörhead, Sum 41, Kelly Clarkson, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit & Jack Johnson to name but a few) to the musical equation to well and truly get the par-tay started.

Obviously with someone of Webb’s stature behind the desk ‘Party Eternal’ sounds exactly like you might expect for a major label record, however it’s not, not this time around, it’s self-released, and with Pure Noise Records now very much in the rear-view mirror singer T.J. McFaull along with his Preachers are returning to their DIY roots for this all new 14 track album pursuing a (long since smashed) £15,000 crowdfunder target by which to get their music recorded, pressed and released.

On first hearing ‘Party Eternal’ though, I honestly had to check it wasn’t coming out on Hellcat Records, because opener ‘Sick World’ sounds like the guys had Tim Armstrong working with them, not Cameron Webb, and that’s also before realising that T.J. is also trading vocals with none other than Angelo Moore from the mighty Fishbone. What an introduction!!!

It’s when ‘Plastic Romantic’ chimes in next, though, that I really get a sense of how high the songwriting bar is being set for this record. It’s a song with a very serious social message yet is also enormously catchy stuff and along with a few others like ‘Want To Know’, ‘Singing Along’ and ‘You’re Killing Me Eve’ the band take the more contemporary sounds of their genre-busting ‘Above the Static’ opus and once again deliver the goods with the fearlessness that we’ve all come to expect from a band now four records and countless worldwide gigs into their career.

Having also released a couple of videos in the drive to promote the record and in turn help them hit their crowdfunder target it was ‘Pick A Side’ that first got things up and running for many of us back in early 2026 and this track not only comes complete with a HUGE singalong chorus but also a message that maybe not all your musical heroes might be all they are cracked up to be.

Speaking of which, it’s obvious that T.J. still holds Mike Skinner in very high regard, as ‘Hand Grenade Heart’ and ‘The Closed Door’ both feature the BSP frontman in a more reflective, half-spoken vocal mode which not only helps break up the pace of the record but also adds another shade of colouring to the band’s extensive songwriting palette. Plus, for those of us still craving the ska punk band that gave us ‘Blatant Propaganda’, we have ‘Time Of Our Lives’, ‘Heartbeat Baby’, the riotous ‘SOS’, and the almost Marilyn Manson-esque stomp of ‘Party Eternal’ for us all to have a right proper knees up to.  

In an age when audience strive to hear “the hits” by any band, it’s testament to the Bar Stool Preachers songwriting that any of the fourteen songs on ‘Party Eternal’ could be just that, a hit, in fact two of the strongest contenders are left right till the end, with the infectious “dah, na, na, na, nana, na na, nah” hook of ‘One For The Weekend’ and then ‘This Is Goodbye’ complete with “Oi! Oi! Oi!” help from The Rumjacks helps round things off in the finest of piratey fashions.

‘Party Eternal’ is an album that exudes a cocky confidence and bowls its way out of the speakers like it’s very much on a mission, that mission I guess being to get us all singing, dancing and, yes indeed, thinking. 

So, when the Preachers return to stages around the UK this October to help promote this record, you best get your best your dancing shoes on and loosen up those singing voices, ready to ‘Party Eternal’.

You can pre-order your copy plus buy a load of other things by visiting the band HERE

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Authopr: Johnny Hayward

The Limit – ‘Another Drop’ (Silver Lining Music)

The Limit – ‘Another Drop’ (Silver Lining Music)

Sonny Vincent of Testors, Pentagram frontman Bobby Liebling, Slime drummer Alex Schwers, Dawnrider guitarist Hugo Conim and U.D.O./Dirkschneider guitarist Dee Dammers, with Alex Farrar on bass, this, ladies and gentlemen, is indeed a super group, with the emphasis being super. Loud, in your face, zeor fuck given, The Limit are a collision of punk, hard rock and metal produced with care and attention to detail and bringing the finest out of the performers.

The emphasis is on the songs that are ringing with attitude and a menace in the delivery – Christ, if a former heavyweight like, for instance, Guns N ‘ Roses released ‘Calling Card,’ the fan base and media would wet their collective panties with excitement and praise. Vincent is on fire- no, make that FUCKIN FIRE! In-your-face hard rock being rinsed from his fretboard with passion for what he’s doing and a belief in the music. It’s not predictable in fact, it’s unpredictable, flying by the seat of its pants. It’s dangerous, but most importantly of all, it’s great songs.

Every chord matters; every vocal is delivered like they truly mean it. The other great thing is this album has fifteen of the bloody bangers for your consumption. I’ll say it here I’ve always been a fan of Sonny Vincent, especially his solo stuff and the various guises he’s released records with. My introduction to Liebling was the debut Litmit record, and to be fair, I saw the fly-on-the-wall doc about his struggles, and it’s great to hear him in such fine fettle here. ‘Another Drop’ is feral, carefree and defies age. Let’s be honest, these aren’t kids here, but they teach the kids a thing or two about how it’s done. ‘Stalemate’ is full of boundless energy and a great melody its like a runaway train careering right into your ears.

If you want snotty punk n roll, then look no further than ‘Sidetracked ‘. What a tune this is; it’ll be in your head for days and reignite your love for loud, energetic punk n roll.

These guys don’t follow; they lead. It’s a record void of studio trickery masking the talent. It’s all out there for you to hear. The Limit have once again delivered an exceptional record that any discerning rock n rolla should hunt down immediately: no bullshit, just steaming hot rock n roll played from the heart and kicking out the motherfuckin’ jams, baby – buy this record!

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Swami John Reis – ‘Navajo White’ (Swami)

Swami John Reis – ‘Navajo White’ (Swami)

Another Day Another John Reis album. This guy has hit a purple patch and is churning out records like they’re going out of fashion, but he always has his finger on the pulse. Be it Plosives, solo, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu or Rocket From The Crypt, the guy knows how to write pretty damn awesome records.

This is his fifth solo album – featuring members of Hot Snakes, Delta 72, Drive Like Jehu, Jejune, Pinback, PLOSIVS and more (If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it). Navajo White is a colour. It’s the colour of off-white interior house paint. Throughout his teens into adulthood, John Reis was as a house painter by trade. So it makes sense to call the album after a shade of colour. Stick to what you know and Reis obviously knows paint and rock n roll.

This is the fifth Swami John Reis album and features Jason Kourkounis (Hot Snakes, Delta 72, Night Marchers) on drums as well as contributions from Rick Froberg (Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Obits) on guitar, Gar Wood (Hot Snakes, Tanner, Night Marchers) on bass, Joe Guevara (Jejune, Swami and the Bed Of Nails) on piano and keyboards and Rob Crow (Pinback, PLOSIVS) and Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician) on backing vocals. So it is his comfortable crew who don the rock n roll overalls and start spraying the familiar tones around the studio.

‘Its Not Fair’ kicks off proceedings with a sprightly tempo washing over the canvas with a melodic pop tune and melody building to a chorus via some smart backbeat and chiming guitars. It’s like a ray of sunshine in a dark world. Let it wash over you and turn it up you’ll be singing along in no time at all.

It’s eight songs in under half an hour, with the MO of writing awesome melodies and wrapping them in layers of alternative punk rock n pop. Hey presto, it’s not rocket science Reis has been doing this shit for his whole musical career to varying degrees, but his solo records are so strong. ‘Future Moods’ is more of the same with a dark edge like a Twin Peaks outro tune. Threatening to break out big time but always showing restraint, it’s a thin line to tread, but Reis knows this line like the back of his hand. Whereas the new Afghan Whigs are one morose tempo and don’t break out of the shackles Dulli puts on the band, Reis isn’t bothered by such likes he does wherever the melody takes him. He does the last knockings of summer late-night tunes like ‘From Here On Out’ superbly, and boy, he carries the melody as well and he does the older, more mature punk rocker tunes as well, as he easily goes through the gears.

‘Lies Don’t Lie’ sounds like something the Saints would have penned and shows how good a songwriter he is, Hell, The album closes with a song that reminds me of mid period Bailey Saints and all power to Reis for it, and it’s fair to say we’re lucky to have him as something of a constant making and releasing such great records with the minimum of fanfare and commercial pats on the back, which is where we come in. Buy this record it will brighten your days and make you fall in love with guitar alternative rock n roll again if you ever walked away from the fight, and if you’re still in the fight, then you know what to do. Buy or steal this record its a banger, or as the kids would say – pure fire.

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Author: Dom Daley

Gradience – ‘Anomaly’ (Metal Blade Records)

Gradience – ‘Anomaly’ (Metal Blade Records)

gradience /ˈɡreɪdiən(t)s/

(noun) the absence of a clear-cut boundary between one category and another

The name of the band encapsulates everything you need to know about Gradience. There’s so much going on here. The band is full on death metal one minute, hip hop the next. The obvious comparisons to Sleep Token are apparent here too.

Do I like Gradience? I wasn’t sure after my first listen. I felt that the constant jumping between genres was jarring. After revisiting Anomaly, I realised that Gradience are some kind of bastardised geniuses. You have to admire the seamless mixing of musical styles. In all of the madness though, there are well written songs with hooks that pull you in.

Opening track – Vermin is a perfect mix up of death metal, pop, and Linkin Park style rap interludes. It really is an assault on the senses. If you can get through Vermin, you’re set for the rest of the album. Blame Me is a heady mix of guitars, Prodigy style electronic stabs and a perfect blend of grunt vocals and pop sensibility.

Agony is my favourite track on the album. I can imagine a field full of festival goers losing their minds and jumping in unison to the tribal rhythms. The massive production from Chris Kreutzfeldt elevates the album’s intensity.

Anomaly is a short, sharp blast to the senses that delivers on every front. The band consists of guitarist Jakob Harris and vocalist Gavin Mistry. Drummer Frederik Kjelstrup Hansen and bass player Patrick Peterson complete the line up.

The duo met at a Copenhagen show for local deathcore heroes Cabal. They quickly found common ground and built a strong working relationship. Jakob and Gavin explain how Gradience was born:

“We found out we had many of the same musical influences in metal, even though neither of us had ever played in a metal band,” says Jakob. “We later found out we both were at a crossroads with the bands/projects we had going on, and we both felt an urge to create something new together.” As Gavin remembers, this inciting revelation took place on the most important day of his life, one way and another: “I invited Jakob to my wedding, where we talked over the idea of joining forces in a semi-drunken haze. I was searching for something where I could blend my honed skills in rap and rock, the right way.”

Gradience has come up with something that’s very rare these days – an album that’s completely original. If you’re looking for your new favorite band, you may have just found them.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Daily Thompson – ‘Glue’ (Noisolution Records)

Daily Thompson – ‘Glue’ (Noisolution Records)

Having been down something of a Seattle themed rabbit hole in my listening pleasures this past few weeks, when RPM head honcho Double Dee asked me if I fancied reviewing German Grunge trio Daily Thompson’s soon to be released seventh studio album ‘Glue’ I was like “pass me a Lucozade” (think about it), and I was off, albeit without the accompanying Iron Maiden soundtrack (got it now?).

Formed all the way back in 2012, whilst singer and guitarist Danny Zaremba, bassist Mercedes Lalakakis-Bee and drummer Thorsten ‘Babblz’ Stratmann can’t take any credit for ridding the music world of the 90s pop metal movement, the genre of music from which they draw their influences from most certainly can, hooking up once again with producer Tony Reed (he also worked on the band’s previous album ‘Chuparosa’) at APL Recording Studios in Port Orchard/Washington to get that full US West Coast feedback driven garage punk sound.

Kicking off with perhaps my favourite song of the album, ‘Heart of Bones’ is the type of track of you’d hear/see everywhere on early nineties music channels. A breezy, lilting Lemonheads-esque refrain that would be a surefire chart hit if those places still existed.

Talking of which, the band’s first video and single from ‘Glue’ is ‘BTK’ which also sees Mercedes Lalakakis-Bee take over the microphone for the first time, and also has more than a hint of US college radio about it, but this time more in Breeders/Pixies territory.

Likewise ‘Work Out’ and ‘Fake A Smile’ with Danny back on vocals both doff their trucker caps to Black Francis and Co, whilst of the album’s remaining four tracks these range from the Nirvana fuzz pop of ‘Here I Stand’ and ‘Lovebugs’ to the more straight up hard rock of ‘SIAM’ (which also boasts a close vocal harmony akin to Alice In Chains) by way of the epic (Pearl) jam that is, the just shy of 8 minutes, ‘Chains’.

Released on August 21st on Noisolution Records whilst ‘Glue’ is (most probably) never about to sell in the same amounts that the likes of ‘Nevermind’, ‘Ten’ or ‘Melon Collie’ ever did, it’s most certainly worth checking out even if just to give yourselves a break from the bland-ola “classic rock” the mainstream music media is constantly pushing these days.

With the band also gracing our shores for a series of six UK dates to promote the album in October starting in Bridgwater on the 12th, it’s time to hit the links below to find out more.

Pre-order the album HERE

Facebook / Daily Thompson (@dailythompson1) / X Daily Thompson / Music | Daily Thompson

Author: Johnny Hayward

Tokyo Blade – ‘Hoist The Colours’ (DISSONANCE)

Tokyo Blade – ‘Hoist The Colours’ (DISSONANCE)

Brand new album number 14-that has 14 tracks as it goes from British metal legends Tokyo Blade, featuring band mainstays Andy Boulton and Alan Marsh. Creatively, this is one of the most consistently high-quality periods inthe band’s long and storied history. ‘Hoist The Colours High’ is the latest effort in a purple patch for the band that has seen them issue a mammoth 4CD retrospective collection just last year (you should buy it), and the well-received ‘Time Is The Fire’ album at the beginning of 2026.

The Blade are on fire. From the opening Riff-tastic ‘Screaming Evil’ its heavy as an anvil yet steeped in history and bedding in the bands early style the sound is huge, with thunderous rhythms and guitars that see the band mix it up with old school riffs and that rumbling bass and with Alan Marsh handling the vocals there’s a comforting familiarity, and the guy doesn’t sound like he’s aged at all.

Hailing from Wiltshire, forming in 1982, Tokyo Blade was initially considered part of the NWOBHM scene but quickly outgrew the tag, enduring over the course of 14 studio albums and five EPs. Sure, it’s not the debut standard, nor is it the ‘Night Of The Blade’ but not may NWOBHM bands could repeat such outstanding rock. However, I’ll let you into a secret my period of Tokyo Blade was The Black Hearts era. I absolutely loved that period, and why not? they were fantastic. That my friends was many moons ago the band has reformed and evolved and reflected on who and what they are over many decades since and we arrive in the here and now with 2026 Blade, and they deserve all the credit they will get for penning fourteen top notch metal tunes.

The rockers will be impressed with the riffs of ‘Too Wired To Sleep’ with its thunderous double kick attack and Marsh screaming like a teen. ‘Get Me Outa This’ is more melodic, whereas the title track is epic with its surround sound cinemascope intro right through its six plus minutes. ‘I’m Gonna Rise’ is more measured and slower in its attack, but again the vocals are like their superpower. ‘Sweet Desolation’ is the closest to old school Blade from the licks to the tempo and vocals, its a real blast with yet more huge production.

If you want out and out raging metal, then look no further than the muscular ‘When The Hammer Falls’. To be fair, the ebb and flow is excellent, and if there is any criticism, then it would be the length of some of the tracks, with so many songs on offer to have five plus and six plus minute songs stretches my addled brain.

With no time for ballads, not even the closing slower number, are there any slushy tunes it’s all lean, mean rockin machines and Boulton and Marsh should take a bow after delivering a loud and proud slab of rock in 2026. Many bands from their origins are long gone or surviving as tribute bands showing up once in a blue moon, but not The mighty Blade they’re still hacking and slashing away at the coalface with a ton of new material and pushing themselves. Never give up lads, up the Blade now go buy this album it rocks.

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Author: Dom Daley

Gatecrash – ‘Gatecrash’ (Randale Records)

Gatecrash – ‘Gatecrash’ (Randale Records)

I don’t suppose it was ever going to be a case of “if” and always more of a “when” Cock Sparrer/Argy Bargy guitarist Daryl Smith and Russ Farrell (Aka Spunk Volcano) from Dirt Box Disco, Spunk Volcano & The Eruptions and Submit would end up recording music together. Firstly, a good few years back now, Daryl penned a piece in a Rebellion Festival programme where he shared his favourite Russ songs and subsequently could be seen side stage singing his head off at every available opportunity when the masked muse and his bands were playing across the weekend. Then Dirt Box got to gig around the UK with Sparrer, releasing a split single with them along the way, before Russ ended up getting involved with some ideas for songs for their last album ‘Hand On Heart’. It’s all been a bit of a journey (as those Saturday night UK talent shows all like to say), really, but finally we have the debut record from Farrell and Smith, and it’s time for one and all to experience Gatecrash.

Ably assisted by Russ’s Dirt Box/Eruptions brother in arms Maff on drums and ex Knock Off four stringer Andy Furr, I suppose all of us here at RPM towers kind of had an idea of what Gatecrash might sound like long before they ever recorded a note, as it was never going to be another musical curveball like the Farrell’s 90s flavoured alt rock studio only project Submit, that released their second album just a few weeks ago.

I will at this point admit though that I was a tad taken aback on playing ‘Gatecrash’ for the first time, largely because as the defiant ‘Still Standing’ rang out from my stereogram what I had forgotten was just how bloody good a singer Daryl Smith is. Of course, long before becoming guitarist in Cock Sparrer and in then turn Argy Bargy he’d fronted The Elite back in the early ‘90s, and whilst the opener might be not unlike Sparrer in some ways it’s when he takes the microphone for ‘Wind It In’ that I can’t help wonder if we’ll ever get to hear that long overdue new Argy Bargy album, I mean that really could be Watford Jon singing.

As for the Russ-fronted tunes like ‘Here We Go’ which quickly follows, these songs sound very much like the less “saucy” end of the prolific songwriter’s back catalogue, and it’s all about the killer hook, of which this album has many. The likes of ‘Av A Minute Mate’, ‘I Still Believe In You’ and ‘Sometimes I Wonder Where You Are’ are quite possibly my favourite non-Dirt Box, Dirt Box sounding songs ever, and if you give these a spin, you’ll be singing along to them at the top of your voice in just a couple of plays. These songs really are the stuff of ‘Legends’ (very bad pun intended).

For yours truly it’s when Smith and Farrell share the lead vocals during the likes ‘Pound For Pound’ and ‘Walk Away’ that I think Gatecrash truly “come of age” with the former a spiky pop punk poke in the eye complete with jagged Weller guitar and chorus to die for, whilst the latter is another rousing anthem that could very quickly become the band’s signature tune.

Then for those of you who are maybe looking for something a little off the streetpunk piste why not check out the acoustic lament to getting old that is ‘One Day’, the Goldblade-like rebel song rattle of ‘Go Big Or Go Home’ or the do-wop showaddywaddy foot stomper that is the bittersweet ‘Consolation Prize’, a song custom built to get us all up on our creepers and dancing into the night.

Written, recorded, released (initially via download/streaming only) and debuted live (at Rebellion 2026) all within a period of just four months, the sixteen songs that make up ‘Gatecrash’ are a true testament to the ability of the songwriters in the band to deliver hit after hit. Plus, for those of us longing to own these songs on CD and/or vinyl, it’s just been announced the album will soon get a full physical release via Randale Records, so make sure to watch the press and social media for more news about that.

In the meantime, grab yourself a bag full of cans, and go get pissed out your head listening to Gatecrash (via all the usual streaming platforms). Just don’t piss your jeans, right… right?

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Author: Johnny Hayward