The Phobics – ‘Gimme Cyanide’ (Time To Be Proud Records)

The Phobics – ‘Gimme Cyanide’ (Time To Be Proud Records)

Sarf of the river punk rock n rollers The Phobics are back with a brand new collection of tunes that was released at the fag end of 2024 but we must have been still ou partying to notice this slip through the HQ cracks so its time to rectify and testify.

With the false sense of security that a very pleasant piano melody will lull you into its the rasping punk rock n roll that ushers the piano out of the window and moves the bastard kids of The Ramones and Heartbreakers into the room to fuck up your day or more to the point usher in the wonderful soundtrack to the rest of your week and turn every day into the weekend.

these Deptford chaps might well have been round the sun a few times but they’ve been paying attention to the good and the greats of some of the finest rock n rollas of the past five decades from the finer points of the Dolls to Da Bruthers and across the pond via The Joneses these cats have got the cream and they’re willing to share it with anyone whos prepared to offer up their time in return for some top tunes.

The mix of loud guitars with the phat lower end is not created by accident it’s a well-constructed beast by people who do know better and ‘Hang 10’ has the Thunders ring on the guitars as they get rinsed. It’s got melody and a swagger that runs through this album like a stick of Deptford rock. Tracks like ‘Dreamworld’ have that Jones crunch on the guitar and the Peter Perrett meets Pete Shelley daydreamin’ vocals. Before we reach the midway point the band crank it up with the delightful romp of ‘Sick And Tired Of The 21st Century’ where they hit the nail right on the head. It should replace the hokey Cokey on New Year’s eve as we all link arms and sing along.

It’s not all Crash Bang Wallop mind, ‘I Want You’ starts off with a nice picky guitar intro before going Crash Bang Wallop. To be fair when The Phobics do give it some Crash bang and a helping of Wallop they do it with style and panache and make it sound fresh and vibrant. ‘Brand New Jag’ has a swagger and leans on some fine cliches and the rhythm section gives it plenty of swing whilst the guitar rips it right up with some fine wah for good measure.

Oh shit get the piano we threw outta the window ‘News From The Sun’ needs it for the intro. What The Phobics do is write bloody good tunes, a load of melody and a sunny disposition that sounds like this band of brothers are having a great time knocking out punk rock n roll on their own terms. It’s timeless when it’s done well and this lot does just that. Hell they even leave the biggest earworm til last as they out Adicts the Adicts with ‘My Best Friend Has Died’ expect Tom to wear a cape and throw out magic tricks at their next show. If you want a fix of Punk rockin power poppin rock n roll then look no further because The Phobics have got us covered. Buy It!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Phobics – ‘Burnt Rubber’ (Self Release)

The Phobics – ‘Burnt Rubber’ (Self Release)

You’d be forgiven for wondering why it takes the Phobics so long to release records because while they may have been regularly hitting the stage (including trips to Ireland and Europe – luckily before Brexit potentially complicates matters), their recorded output has been a little less regular. In fact, Deptford’s finest punk band released their last album, ‘Deptford Calling’, back in 2011.

Finally, 8 years later, the London veterans return with their new record, ‘Burnt Rubber’. And for those wondering if it was worth the wait – it was. And then some.

Back in those halcyon days of Uber Rock, when it was a revolutionary website terrorising the visitor numbers of those shite classic rock websites we’d all become despondent with, I was given the privilege of mulling over the Phobics’ 2004 EP, ‘Down and Out in Deptford’. Since those scrappy recordings they’ve been on quite the upward trajectory.

From the off, ‘Burnt Rubber’ is a glorious success in punk rock and garage rollicking. Always with their finger on the pulse, the band set the story with opener, ‘Gentrification’. As London is bought and sold to the highest bidder – the soul being torn from Denmark Street particularly lamentable – this album is something of a soundtrack to this cultural decline. The ‘Hymn for the 12 Bar Dudes’ closes the record on a breeze of sadness.

This isn’t a sad set of songs though, and neither did I expect it to be. It’s a fun and raucous romp that moves on hugely from their 2011 effort. From the insanely catchy ‘Don’t Lay Your Flowers on my Grave’, to the bang on the money ‘Politics’, their latest release is delightfully enjoyable, excellently produced, and was all recorded in two half day sessions. Whether it’s ‘Path of Love’ or ‘She’s a Runaway’, the Phobics just don’t let up on this album. The Motorhead/Ramones adaptation of ‘P.H.O.B.I.C.S’ is also a nice touch.

‘Burnt Rubber’ is a record of true revolutionary punk rock style, the way it should be, and mixed with the hard groove of 60s garage. It’s loud and it’s angry, but it’s also laughing at all this nonsense we’re living in every day, and it’s probably laughing at you too.

Author: Craggy Collyde

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