Tag Archives: Pub Rock

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS: Manchester Academy, 9th November 2024.

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Last night I saw again, the best band of my generation, live. I’ve been thinking about what makes Amyl and The Sniffers so great and it’s down to the live shows. It’s the energy, it’s the band, it’s the fans. From seeing them at the Deaf Institute in 2019 to last night at the Academy; I can safely say that every time I’ve seen them, it’s made you feel like it won’t be long before they become a band that play stadiums. Their sound is THAT big. Their energy is even bigger.

From the second the band step on stage to Mobb Deep’s CLASSIC Shook Ones Part II (any band that walk on stage to that are excellent!) you know that you are seconds away from greatness. Amy steps to the mic and tells the crowd to pick anyone up who falls, don’t touch anyone who doesn’t want to be touched and to get rowdy. I think we can apply those rules to daily life. The setlist consists of 22 songs, and you feel it isn’t enough. You want more and more (I’ll ALWAYS want Stole My Pushbike back on the set along with 70s Street Munchies!) but the new record live is insane. They start with Doing In Me Head which is one of the best moments of Cartoon Darkness. They absolutely rip through the new record, and it’s that energy that is so rare, is what makes the night.

One of the things you spot at an Amyl and The Sniffers show is that there are no age limits- the crowd is so diverse and I think the older people in the crowd lasted longer in the pit than the younger ones. It was so beautiful to see. Amyl and The Sniffers are beyond being a Pub Rock/Punk band; there’s something else there, and it honestly above any words I or anyone could write down. You know what was the seller for me? Having the show projected on a screen behind the band because this short-arse can’t see anything! But I saw it all. I got the tickets as a birthday present to myself, and I think, even though I dislike my birthday, celebrating it like this was alright. Mainly because it wasn’t ON my birthday, but you get my point.

There are tender moments in the set such as Knifey and every female person sang that song as if their life depended on it. I remember hearing it for the first time, and I bawled. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been moved by that song. Bailing On Me nearly had me crying, but I remembered being told that no one is worth crying over so I stopped myself. It felt good. For me, hearing Motorbike Song live was all I wanted. That was the new song I was looking forward to the most. It’s so loud, it’s fast and it’s just a dream of a song. Of course, songs like Hertz, Guided By Angels and Security are belted out by everyone- how could they not be? They all created beautiful moments, and show why Comfort To Me is one of the greatest records ever made. However, I reckon every record they ever make will be the greatest so we’re fine. This is a band to put all your faith, love, and energy into. Pretty sure I had goosebumps from the second they stepped on stage to the very end of the set. The encore was Balaclava Lover Boogie and GFY- excellent way to end the show! There are SO many moments during the show that just blow your mind. Me And The Girls live absolutely dicks over the album version. The song rips anyway, but live? My god!! U Should Not Be Doing That holds a very special place in my heart as does Chewing Gum. Oh man having Maggot and Some Mutts in the setlist is a dream too! Every song deserves its place!

I adored how everyone was having the time of their lives last night. Sure, drinks were being lobbed across the room and being dropped, but that’s because everyone was busy dancing and screaming along to the words. A personal highlight for me was someone coming up to me to tell me something but I had no idea what they were saying, so they then said “Don’t listen to me, I’ve just got me tits out!” And that pretty much sums up the night. Freedom for all. Fun for everyone. It was a blast, and I hope they come back soon because their live shows really do give you a kick up the arse.

The new record hasn’t been out long, but everyone knew every single word and shouted along with Amy. Her voice has become so much stronger over the years, and I think you really hear it on songs like Chewing Gum and Big Dreams. As for Dec- show me a better guitarist right now, because you absolutely won’t find one. He’s something else. Gus is THE coolest bassist. Bryce is just exceptional. Together they show exactly why Amyl and The Sniffers are the best band around. This band are for us underdogs, the weirdos and the ones who do not want what you’re selling.

I’d like to end this by saying a very personal highlight of the night was me turning to my best mate during Jerkin’ to try tell him something important and he stopped me because he HAD to shout “WANK WANK WANK” during the song. I’d have been disappointed if he didn’t. The joy on his face was heavenly!

If you’ve never been to an Amyl and The Sniffers show, you are missing out. It’s as simple as that. I adore everything they stand for and how they treat their fans, and also- how the fans treat them. Amy Taylor has that Patti Smith quality about her, and I hope when Amy gets to 75, she’s still shouting the words to Jerkin’ every night in a different city. We need bands like this so badly- especially at the moment. At the start of the show, Amy gave a little speech about the state of the world and how shit it is, and the words hit. The world is absolutely terrible but there is more of us that want to do good and help, and we just have to be a lot louder now.

So, in short, this was an amazing show and the atmosphere was beautiful. If I could go to an Amyl and The Sniffers show every night, I bloody well would.

PS- This is one of the lamest reviews I’ve done but I hope you take away from this that Amyl and The Sniffers are the best live band around. Thanks!

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS: Cartoon Darkness.

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Some bands make the world better by making music that you truly feel in your gut. Their music becomes the voice in your head that you need when things feel a little too much. That’s the thing with music- it’s always there. People aren’t. They come with conditions and at times, demands you cannot meet. Music doesn’t do this. So, what does this have to do with the new Amyl and The Sniffers record? Absolutely everything, and more.

Cartoon Darkness is THEIR record. The record they were always destined to make. It could have been immediately, or it could have been in 15 years’ time- but it’s now and thank god it’s now.

The record opens with the latest release, Jerkin’. It feels like it’s a much-needed dig at male journalists who objectify Amy. We’ve all seen it- not just with Amy, but countless of other female musicians. They seem to think talking about what someone is wearing is far more important than the words coming out of their mouth. That isn’t journalism, that’s being a total prick. But what do I know!

We then go smack into Chewing Gum, which is lyrically, one of my favourite Amyl and The Sniffers songs. They’ve come a long, long way from being a little pub rock band, but it was so obvious that this was going to happen. Some bands are destined to make it, and this band are one of them. I won’t focus too much on the songs that have already been released, but I do want to mention that hearing Big Dreams in between Tiny Bikini and Its Mine is so beautiful. Big Dreams is THAT song you go to when you feel awful, and it just makes everything alright again. Then, you go back and play Chewing Gum. That’s when it all clicks, and you feel alright.

Over the past 8 years or so, they’ve been making their own noise and on their own terms. I remember hearing the Giddy Up EP and it blew my mind. I felt like a kid in the 70s hearing Punk for the very first time. I found the band I was always was meant to find, and it’s been a wild ride since. Everything they’ve released has been magical; how can a band be this good? HOW? For them, it’s easy. Each of them has this glorious style and sound that just has you hooked. Bryce is an insane drummer; Gus is THE coolest bassist, and Dec is just a monster on the guitar. Amy is one of the best frontwomen around. Actually, fuck gender. Irrespective of gender- Amy is one of the most charismatic and divine singers I’ve ever seen. The way she holds a crowd, how she can control them and just have everyone hooked on the band? Effortless. If you’ve seen them live, you’ll know exactly what I mean. This band have it all, and then some!

Cartoon Darkness is a treat for us Punk fans. It’s 13 songs and just over half an hour long. As someone with awful attention span and cannot sit still for too long- this record feels like every single thought bouncing in my head. Like a pinball machine in the corners of my mind- back and forth, then a bit chaotic in the middle. It’s a fucking great record. Right now, my favourite song on the record is Doing in Me Head closely followed by Pigs and maybe Motorbike Song. I think Doing in Me Head may be my solid favourite; I don’t think I can change my mind on that (this isn’t counting Chewing Gum or Big Dreams.) The record is fun, and sure some of the topics are heavy, and Amy has said the record is about a range of things such as war and climate crisis- but there’s fun on this record. It’s got an innocence to it, and you find that in everything this band do. There’s this beautiful gentleness and fragility on Bailing on Me- it’s heartbreaking, and hearing her voice so delicate on this will cut through it. It’s such an easy song to relate to. We’ve all had someone who constantly lets us down, and when you get to the point of realisation of it and let it go- that’s the biggest relief. Trust me. Letting things and people go that just let you down may feel tough, but when you do it- everything feels lighter. It’s one of the quieter moments on the record, and it then goes right into U Should Not Be Doing That (the bass reminds me of Psycho Killer, and it’s SO good!) Me and the Girls wraps up the record- it’s a chaotic night out with a description of the morning after; the perfect way to close a phenomenal record. Also, don’t overlook the power of the song Tiny Bikini- that song will also be incredible live. The whole record is a fervent work of art.

I guess in short, we can say that this is their best record so far. Their finest release. I’ll always, always have space in my heart reserved for Giddy Up- it started everything for me, and to hear the band go from songs like Stole My Pushbike to all they’ve created on Cartoon Darkness is a joy to see and hear. There’s no other band quite like them, and I honestly don’t think we’ll ever get another band like them. Bands like this are so rare, and we’ve got to treasure them whilst we have them. The band will ALWAYS have that rowdy and raw sound, and it’s so clear on It’s Mine. That song is going to be WILD live. The whole record is going to be insane live; I cannot wait. Imagine witnessing It’s Mine and Motorbike Song live! It’s going to be unreal.

Their debut self-titled record to Comfort to Me, then to Cartoon Darkness- you can definitely hear the growth. The production, the way the band play, the writing and the strength in Amy’s voice is unreal. This record is their first on a massive label, but it’s not changed their sound at all. They’ll always have that beautiful raw sound we all fell in love with many years ago.

The energy on this record will set you up right for the day. I think I’m on my fourth or fifth listen now, and I just keep picking up on more things to love about the record. There’s so much to love and appreciate on this record. The second part of the record shows a more vulnerable side to the band lyrically, and I think Going Somewhere may be their biggest sounding song to date. This live is going to rip. I cannot wait to hear these new songs live; their songs are all made to be heard live-that’s the kind of band they are.

Every song on this record deserves its place and needs to be played so loud. It’s one of those records that makes you so proud to be a fan of the band.

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS: Chewing Gum.

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I guess to some degree everything I will every write about Amyl and the Sniffers will just be a repeat of anything I’ve said before. However, the love I have for this band just grows and grows. How could it not? They are easily one of the best bands. Ever. Not just now, but ever. There is something about them that captures every tiny and massive detail about music that I love. I feel they always seem to put something out when you just need it. There’s a handful of bands that I feel this way about, and that feeling is unlike anything else.

Chewing Gum gives fans of the band everything they could want and more. It will give new fans/first time listeners something to cling to and believe in, and to fall in love with. I’ve had it on repeat since yesterday, and the video? Oh man alive! That video is just top tier. The song is a gentler pace than a typical Amly and the Sniffers song but the lyrics? It’s the band at their best. There are parts of the song that just hit you in the gut, and for me it’s: “I’m the voice of my young self when I was just a childs,she sings ‘Hey hey girl, you are doing fine.’ “ You know when you just need something that can only be found in a piece of music? That’s it. This is it. Maybe it isn’t so bad? Who knows.

What I love about Amyl and the Sniffers is the innocence in their songs (some not all) and the way of seeing the world. It is so precious. If I was a teenager and I was listening to this band for the first time, I’d definitely feel like I had found a home. There’s something so beautifully safe about the band, and maybe it’s the words. Maybe it’s always the words, but the words mean everything. It doesn’t always have to be so tough and brutal, y’know? They’re more than a Punk band, they’re more than a band. And songs like this just reinforce that.  I love how they always stay honest to who they are as a band, and how hard they have worked to get where they are and I think it truly shines in the line, “I was dreaming of a dinner that would fill up my plate. I was doing the dishes, cleaning, but I never ate.” I love this. The power this line has is just divine.

Amyl and the Sniffers do not have any bad songs at all. You’d be stuck trying to find a less than average song by them. They just make it seem so easy, but there’s years and years of hard work in this. I remember hearing Stole My Pushbike years ago, and the song I think is no more than a minute long? I heard it and was hooked. That one minute turned me into a fan for life. I think it came out in 2016/17, and I wasn’t having the best time and I just solidly listened to them every day and I remember it feeling like a weighted blanket around me. I still get that same feeling with every time I listen to them. It’s in Guided by Angels, Balaclava Lover Boogie, Chewing Gum and beyond. Every single song.

I love so much that they aren’t afraid to be vulnerable with their songs too. The ending of Chewing Gum hit me right in the gut again: “I used to be oh so tough, but for love I’ll be dumb. Stuck on you, stuck like glue, stuck like chewing gum.” Write this on my forehead. Inject this lyric into my blood. Put it everywhere. I feel it more than I want to. It’s easy to be tough isn’t it, but keeping it up is exhausting (I say this as someone who can probably cry at anything!) It’s such a perfect line. It’s a perfect song.

I don’t really like writing about songs in general, but this one is special. Really special. The whole song feels like a letter to maybe Amy’s younger self? I don’t know, but when you have lines like “Don’t you get caught up in stuff you never had” you can’t help but think it’s maybe reassurance for younger Amy turning into an adult and teaching her all she needs to know about getting to where she needs to. Hard work always pays off. It takes time, always. Bands like Amyl and the Sniffers are a proper example of this.

Their 3rd (full length) record, Cartoon Darkness will be out on 25th October.

CHUBBY AND THE GANG.

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Hello, I am an idiot. An idiot who has had a piece written about Chubby And The Gang saved in my drafts, and never finished it. I read over it, deleted it and now- I’m starting again. There’s nothing worse for me than having to read over what I’ve written. Awful. Anyway, now seems a good a time as any to write about one of the finest bands around- Chubby And The Gang.

Their most recent release came out on Valentine’s Day (Labour of Love) and if reading this is your first time hearing about the band- then it’s probably the ideal introduction. CATG are one of London’s finest Punk bands. They are loud and electrifying. They are the kind of band you find yourself seeking out so you can just become more and more obsessed with them. Even more impressive is that they are supporting The Chats on their tour soon! That’s a lineup to get really excited about!

CATG have that 70s Punk feel, and when you listen to them you cannot help but feel you are roaming the streets of London with them just searching for something to do in a time when there was nothing. That feeling of hopelessness and nothingness is something that’s been quite vocal in Punk, but it’s something that makes the listener feel less of a deadbeat. I love their sound so much, and although I didn’t write about their debut record in 2020 when it came out- let it be known that is is a phenomenal record and one I still play the shit out of! It’s way too good to not mention.

Their debut record, Speed Kills is made up of 13 proper Punk anthems. Play it in any order, play it loud and play it religiously. For me it captures the real spirit of Punk and I love the brutal tones on the record. These 13 songs will go down in Punk history as being some of the most rowdy anthems ever written. And of course, you can’t talk about their debut without mentioning how great their second record, The Mutt’s Nuts is. If you’re wanting something louder and more in your face- this is the one for you. This is a proper rowdy record, and you can really hear how feral their sound is on this record. It’s just as mind-blowing as their debut, but The Mutt’s Nuts has a little bit more bite to it.

Both are clearly magnificent records and you cannot help but play one after the other. I’m probably pissing my neighbours off by playing this stupidly loud. Their second record has hints of Black Flag and Dead Kennedys about it- fast, to the point and makes you just want to scream along. The band excel themselves with everything they do, and I think the song that really sums this up is the second track on the record, It’s Me Who’ll Pay. Pay close attention the lyrics. The Mutt’s Nuts consists of 15 songs that shout “fuck off” is different ways. Utterly brilliant.

CATG are that band that you just need to see play live- on record you can definitely hear the passion and pick up on the urgency in the music, but to see them live would be heightened beyond words! There is just so much energy in the music, and it’s the kind of energy that just makes you feel part of something that matters. If you’re moved by bands like Amyl And The Sniffers, The Speedways, The Chats- all that good stuff; then you’ll absolutely find a home in Chubby And The Gang.

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS: Comfort To Me.

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Amyl and the Sniffers - Comfort To Me | Reviews | DIY Magazine

If you’re looking for not only the best Punk record of the year, but THE record of the year, then I am here to help. It’s this one. 100% this record. Comfort To Me by Amyl And The Sniffers is everything you could want from a record. Are you wanting to feel tough even though you may be chickenshit? Are you wanting to feel like you can take on the world, but also wanting something that makes you feel safe? Buy this record.

My love for Amyl And The Sniffers has no limits. I fucking LOVE everything about this band. I love how they are just the most relatable and no bullshit band around. The songs are so easy to relate to. The songs are so easy to find yourself in. This band, and especially this record will influence so many kids to pick up a guitar and make their own noise. Amy Taylor is the best frontperson in decades. You will not find anyone with more charisma, intelligence and purity than Amy. I think she’s incredible. If I was 13 years old, and saw this band and saw Amy for the first time, I’d have sacked everything off and decided to be in a band and not stop until I made something like Comfort To Me. You know when you hear a record so good you just want to cry? This is where I’m at right now.

The record opens with Guided By Angels which we all know is INSANE. I love the positivity in this song. All too often we hear songs that are all “woe is me, the world sucks.” But the positivity on this song is gorgeous. I cannot wait for them to tour this record because this song will probably cause the most beautiful riot possible.

Next up we have the wonderfully titled, Freaks To The Front. I love this song. I love the title. I love how it just feels like home. That’s what I adore about this record. I feel like I am putting on my favourite shirt, and feel ready to face the day. I love the aggression on this one; I love how relatable this is. Then we are smacked with Choices, which is the best fuck you to people who put others down for the decisions they make; which is I think, mainly aimed at those who try to dictate to women what they should think, feel and what decisions they make. Fuck ’em. Your mind, your body, your life- your fucking choice. Always.

I love how the record feels like it was made with urgency, importance and a fuckload of passion. I just want everyone in the world to listen to this record at least five times. It’s got everything you could want from lust to rage. Your heart will break listening to Knifey. It’s awful that it’s a relatable song, and that a lot (probably most to be honest) women will relate to. I won’t spoil it for you, but make sure you dedicate some time to really soak this one up. It’s so important, even if it is awful that it’s relatable but the message is so important.

I feel like this is the record that so many of us are going to keep going back to, and when we do- we will be left in awe all over again. I’ve listened to it 3 times this morning, and each listen is just blowing my mind. Everything about Comfort To Me is astounding. The sheer joy you get from blasting this record out is unlike anything else. Comfort To Me is the kind of record that you need to play every single day. It’s got everything you need and more, and it’s just really one of the most flawless records I’ve ever heard. I know bands can sometimes put fillers on their records, but Amyl And The Sniffers have shat all over the second record curse and given us something to really adore and cherish. You know when you hear a record, and you just feel “Fuck, I really needed this right now.” Well, that’s how Comfort To Me feels.

Last year was a drag for us all, and it could have been easy for so many bands to throw in the towel and just sack it all off. Thank fuck Amyl And The Sniffers created this record. Every single song on this record deserves to be heard by everyone. Songs like Snakes, Don’t Need A Cunt (Like You To Love Me), Choices, Knifey- the whole record! They are just mind-blowing. I’m just in awe of how phenomenal this record is. This record makes you feel free; every song will make you want to move in ways that others may be confused about but fuck it- music is all about freedom and connection. Comfort To Me is a prime example of this, and I cannot wait for the band to come back to the UK and play this record to us.

By no means is this a review, it’s just a massive fan declaring their love for a band that they absolutely adore, and telling you to buy this record and play it loud.

THE CHATS: High Risk Behaviour.

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It’s here! The debut record by The Chats- one of Australia’s finest bands. These three wonderful ratbags are back with 14 songs to get you in the mood to self-isolate. Well, what else is there to do! Doom and gloom aside, The Chats are just a brilliant band. If you love bands like Skegss and Amyl and The Sniffers then you’re probably already onto The Chats, and you’re probably excited for this record.
The Chats are that band that keep appearing at your local pub; part of the furniture and no one dares tell them to go home. Why would you? They’re everything you want from a rowdy band, and they just make you want to hang out with them and get into mischief. I love how their songs just are declarations of impish behaviour. Ignore the song The Clap- you probably don’t want to behave in that way, but as far as songs that find humour in an STD this one is pretty great. They’re owning it, and fair play to them. The humour in the lyrics and the way they just share their life with us is so cool, and they aren’t afraid to let us in on their mishaps and fuckups.

They make songs that are just destined to be chanted right back at them, and you can imagine Josh crowd surfing as the fans go mental to Identity Theft and shout the words as loud as possible. Maybe this will happen on their tour later in the year, if the universe allows us to leave our homes again for fun! I just bloody love this band and their carefree attitude. Aside from that though, they are really great musicians. They just keep getting better and better, and the production on High Risk Behaviour is really tight too.
Their two Eps showed us exactly how great they are, and how on earth does it come across on a full-length record? Well, we can call this as one of if not THE most energetic records of the year. They pick up nicely where Get This In Ya!! left off, and these songs are proper rippers. They make you want to just trash shit, skate around or just get up to no good. Dine n Dash is a great song about being too broke to eat, so you get your fill then fuck off without paying. It’s one of my favourites off the record, but it’s just a non-stop party record. The songs are made for you to just let loose and forget your troubles and find humour in what’s getting to you. They talk about being broke and doing nothing, and not really letting it get to them. Their laid-back style is what really makes you connect with the songs.
Eamon’s vocals just hooks you right in, and you want to copy his style as you chant the words back. Then you mix this with Matt’s INSANE drumming and Josh’s guitar, and also Eamon’s bass well, then you’ve just got top musicians who really love what they’re doing. Ross River is a great tale, and you picture yourself right there with Eamon as he describes what’s going on. Pub Feed is a great example of this too and how they are just craving some good, wholesome pub food. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
The songs don’t even hit the 3 minute mark, but don’t let that deter you in any way. The songs were made to be played loud and on a loop. They have this wicked energy that just makes you move and flail those limbs about. I love how freeing their sound is, and again, the carefree attitude. It’s like, “everything is shit but don’t worry about it.” Sometimes you just need to hear that, or in a roundabout way you know? Just so you don’t feel so down and out about what’s going on in your head. It’s so easy to worry and assume the worst, but with The Chats they’ll give you the brutal truth but put their own twist on it that makes you feel lighter.
There are some exceptional bands in Australia, and some really great Punk bands. The Chats are a band that I’ve seen a lot of people make reference to when talking about new and exciting bands, and it’s so easy to see why. I mean, this is their debut full length record and it sounds like something from a band who are well into their career. The energy they have on record is poured right into their live shows too. It’s like all this pent-up energy is released how they need it to be in their live shows, and on record it is just a taste of this energy. They are such an easy band to love and become obsessed with; High Risk Behaviour is a remarkable record, and I love how they have a distinctive sound but no part of you gets tired of it at all. Songs like Do What I Want are just so rebellious and mischievous, they just make you want to hang out with them and get into trouble. It’s pretty clear that The Chats will be a band that kids listen to, and are influenced by to start their own band and it is such a great thing!

High Risk Behaviour is such a great record, and it was definitely worth the wait. The two EPs they gave us were just a little taste of what was to come, and now we have it you’d be hard-pressed to let go of that excitement. With any luck, I’ll get to see them in October. I can’t wait to see how this all comes alive in a live setting. I think this is how people felt when the Ramones first got peoples attention. These 14 songs are made for wasting your days away to, go out for a walk and play this record in your ears and let every annoyance you have slip away.
High Risk Behaviour is out right now via Bargain Bin Records.

MINI SKIRT.

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Finding information about the band Mini Skirt is impossible without searches bringing up weird images and the like. Fortunately, I’ve got what I need to write about this proper rowdy band. A band that make you feel like you’re listening to Black Flag for the first time. Are you ready to throw things out of the window and trash your living room? Yes? No? It doesn’t matter. Mini Skirt are a brilliant band who have this refreshing angst and humour in their music.

 Mini Skirt formed in Byron Bay (yes, another Australian band that I’m writing about) and although I know basically nothing about the Australian music scene (I know what I like, and what I’m not big on) I can safely say that there are some fucking incredible bands out there. I’ve written about the ones I’ve found and loved, but I know there’s more out there. It’s the turn of Mini Skirt right now, and there’s something about their extremely honest and to the point lyrics that just makes you fall in love with them instantly. They have this charm that makes you feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends; they see the world in a way that may or may not irk some, but they’re telling us what they see and what they see in others. They unleash their disappointments and the like, and the way they express it is done in a way that you wish more would do. Their humour is what lures you in but it’s their evident talent that keeps you there. Completely locked in.

 

 

A band I can liken them to is Viagra Boys- they both have this undeniable charm and wit in their songs, and it is just a real privilege to listen to. Mini Skirt are a band that observe, and I mean really observe. Their song (Untitled) taken from Hello Possums (ten points if you get the reference!) is one of my favourites, and it really captures the way we observe others, ourselves and the world; and how our thoughts can just turn into a bunch of nothingness. Sometimes you just gorm out and your brain focuses on things that probably hold no worth to others, but it matters to you. So, it does matter.

 I’m not entirely sure when the band started, it may have been around 2016 with their Taste EP- which you must listen to! They have such a solid and gnarly sound; they’re just consistently brilliant, and I think that’s why what they do works. Songs like Out Of Place (from 2016) to last year’s Pretty shows just how far they have come, and how their sound has got stronger and the toughness in the lyrics is really coming through. Mini Skirt aren’t afraid to be brutally honest and call out bullshitters. We need more of that, and the way they call out various injustices is brilliant. Dying Majority is a prime example of this and is definitely one of the most vital songs of our time. Listen to it. Listen to it really loud and take in the lyrics. Going back to the Taste EP; it is made up of 6 songs that are the perfect introduction to the band. If you’re going to start here with the band, then you won’t be sorry. Songs like Billy Elliot and Dogs are so effortlessly great, and they have this lo-fi sound that makes you feel like you’re watching them rehearse right in front of you. If only we could be that lucky! It’s such a fantastic EP. They aren’t afraid to call people/society out on their shitty behaviour, and that alone makes them easy to love.

 

 

Mini Skirt are nothing short of exceptional, and I hope they take over the world someday…somehow. I love everything about their sound. I love how they make music for them, and aren’t afraid to be bold and honest, and of course- loud. The snarls in the vocals (especially on Security) to the drums that sound like a riot and everything else, it’s just incredible. They’re made up of some of the best musicians you’ll probably ever hear, and their newest release Pretty shows us that. Go listen to all the music they’ve given us, and you’ll truly hear something that will blow your mind.

 

*photo by Dougal Gorman