I should have written about Sheer Mag ages ago, but that’s just how it goes. They have a new record coming out next month, and are touring the UK in November (they’re playing YES in Manchester, which is the coolest venue in the city and it’s a week before my birthday!) so now is the right time. Better late than never, I guess.

Fronted by the incredible Tina (Christina) Halladay, Sheer Mag are THE Punk band that we all need. They have this brilliant attitude and force within their music which is like Amyl and The Sniffers mixed with KRAUT. Which is obviously a great thing, as I love both bands. They are loud in all the right places, and will just fill you with utter joy when you listen to them. The music is so powerful, and full of this ferocious energy that you just cannot get enough of. I can’t pick what it is I love so much about Sheer Mag, but I’m pretty sure that when the new record comes out, my love will be reinforced all over again. I can’t wait to hear it.

Sheer Mag make you want to just throw your limbs around in a way that would leave others wondering if you’re alright, but they just move you in so many ways. The songs will make you cry, shout and just be glad that someone out there gets you. We all need that, and Sheer Mag release it all. They make it seem so effortless.

The rhythm that Sheer Mag has is so soulful, and so poignant. They make you feel their music right from the soul, and I think that’s part of why we need bands like this. They aren’t afraid to be loud, and Tina isn’t afraid to pour her heart out in the songs, and leave it beating on stage. The vulnerability and the passion they have is so beautiful, and such a rare thing to see. But when a band you love show this, you cannot help but connect with them in ways you never thought you could.

They make the kind of songs that you just have to scream along- whether you’re at their show, or just hanging out at home. They bring it out of you, and their new song Blood From A Stone gives you that feeling and it’s the kind of feeling that you cannot help but cling on to. You have to. They sum up the heightened feelings we are sometimes wary of. There’s something about Sheer Mag that you cannot do without. They make you feel like you’ve gone back to the 70s but at the same time, take you deep into the future/to a place that is unknown to others. The trip they take on you on with their music is the kind of trip you don’t want to end, you just want to stay in the moments that they create, and I am pretty sure that their new record is going to do the same.

I’m super excited to see them live, and to really immerse myself in all that their music gives me. I can’t wait to see how their songs are performed live, and to see it all take on a different meaning. On record they give you this energy that spurs you on, and I’m confident that their live shows do the same.

There is so much soul in the songs, and I think it really comes across in songs like Pure Desire. The guitar has this slick tone, and Tina’s vocals have this Gospel like feeling to it. They are truly unlike anything else you’ll ever hear. Just Can’t Get Enough also has this raw and soulful feel to it. They’ve got something that you won’t find anywhere else. They need to take over the world or something, because bands like this cannot be ignored. Until You Find The One will break your heart in such a gorgeous way, and I think it is their most delicate song. It reminds me slightly of The Ronnettes, which is always a good thing. They’ll toy with your feelings, but one thing for sure is that you’ll keep coming back for more.

Like I said, I should have written this years ago but the excitement for their new record is building, and I cannot wait to hear it. We need bands/music that is fearless and makes you feel something, anything at all- Sheer Mag go above all this. They have such a distinctive sound that would make even the most reserved person move.

So there you have it, delayed appreciation for a band I should have written about ages ago. Hopefully this makes up for lost time.