Tag Archives: Punk

THE MEN: New York City.

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I completely forgot that this record came out very recently- I thought it was coming out in the Summer. I am a fool! Anyway.

The Men’s new record- New York City is their best work. Did I ever think I’d say something was better than their debut? Nope. Their debut owns a chunk of me that no other record ever could, but their new record is something else. It’s a Punk record that takes you back to NYC in the 70s. Aptly titled record, right?

Over the past few days this has been the record I’ve been listening to religiously. Every song feels like a time capsule of Punk. At times you feel like you’ve found an old Iggy Pop record that no one else has ever heard. Then you feel like you’ve listened to the New York Dolls for the first time. This is hugely prominent on the record opener Hard Livin’ which has Johnny Thunders style guitar and a real New York Dolls feel to it. Most of The Men’s records have been released via Sacred Bones but this one has been put out by the equally influential Fuzz Club. Both labels have backed so many exceptional bands and the cause of me rarely having any money!

New York City is the bands ninth record, and they’ve been going just over a decade or so. To me, they are one of the most important bands of my generation and they’ve just got this unique style that expands on every record. Sometimes when a band changes labels they can maybe lose who they were or badly flip their sound to fit the style of their new home- The Men don’t do this at all. If you listen to their records in chronological order, you will hear that this is the sound that was destined for record number nine- regardless of which label was to release it.

There are so many wild moments on this record and every song is just a delight to listen to. At the moment, Echo is the one I keep playing the most. I love the raw feel to it and how urgent it sounds. I love how the vocals are so gnarly and rough. There’s nothing delicate about this record- it’s unfiltered carnage and I can’t get enough of it! Every song flows perfectly into the next, and the production on this record is so tight- but they still maintain a strong DIY feel to it. The sound still feels brand new, and that’s one of the many reasons as to why I love this band. I love how they always go a step further and this record shows this in all its glory.

New York City is a record that you need to play in order for the first listen or so; but after that- go whichever way you want. Eye is the slickest song on the record- that’s the one that throws you off because musically it’s tamest on the record but vocally it’s probably the best. Honestly, the vocals on this are snarly as fuck and you can’t get enough of them. This record is the band at their best, and I’ve probably said that about their previous records but, with this one- there’s something truly magical about it. You feel like after being a fan of the band for so long, you’ve been on this journey with them and the journey has finally led to this record. The Punk record the band needed to make. The Punk record we all need. It’s a masterpiece and I could happily spend hours and hours listening to it. It’s a record that with every listen, you find something else to appreciate and fall in love with. Listening to this record, I feel like I’m listening to The Men for this first time but also reinforcing why I love them again and again. Every listen of this record is so precious.

I have no idea if the band will ever tour the UK with this record, but I hope with all my heart that they do because it just HAS to be heard live. And for purely selfish reasons, I’d like to finally be able to see a band I’ve loved for so long live! Every song on this record is full of this energy that you can’t get enough of. Songs like God Bless The USA, Anyway I Find You and Round The Corner are just so intense and honestly, this record will make you feel battered and bruised after hearing it. It’s a fistfight, it’s a riot and it’s so important. If you’ve never listened to The Men before, I’d normally tell you to play their debut, Leave Home first- but I think I’d now tell you to start with this one! It’s incredible, and I feel it just may be one of the best records we will hear this year.

MORON’S MORONS: High-Tension Situation.

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The finest Polish band are back! New record from Moron’s Morons is ridiculous- if you’re wanting a Halloween feel 24/7, regardless of the time of year- buy this record. High-Tension Situation is the name, and it pretty much lives up to its namesake. The songs will have you on edge, but in a good way. The songs are everything you’d want from an eerie Punk band and they are unafraid to be completely and utterly mental on every single song. The songs are live a deep dive into some kind of psychotic lapse of whatever, but don’t let that put you off. The songs would be perfect in some Horror B-Movie that is made very cheap and probably quite questionable too.

The 12 songs on this record were made to creep you out in the best way possible, and they were also made to be played exceptionally loud. They’ll sure wake you up! The record only came out on Friday (24th) but it’s one of those records that you feel you’ve had in your possession for years! There’s this effortlessly weird sound on this record that makes you feel like you’re trapped in Moron’s Morons world and you don’t want to even try escape- why would you want to when it sounds like this?!

The songs are rowdy and hella fast- songs like Nightvisions you can really imagine being played live and the whole place just erupting. They’ve got this energy that makes you wish you could witness every song in a live setting. I’ve written about this band before, and I can’t tell you enough just how exceptional they are. This energy is something else. The songs are all over the place- like mania is kicking in and the band have just thought “Fuck it! Play louder! Play faster!” and what we’ve ended up with is some of their most daring work to date. They’ve got the edge of Misfits and the charisma of The Cramps, and all in between. They’re a band that are known for their fast-paced and rowdy songs, and it works. See, some may try this approach and it sounds forced but with Moron’s Morons it sounds natural.

Psychosis Diagnosis is my favourite so far, and sure the lyrics are questionable but I love that scary feeling the song gives you. The whole record makes you feel like you’re being hunted down by something or someone, like a sea-creature that has no name yet because no one knows what the hell it is. But my god these songs are something else. Is it their best work to date? Completely. I know bands try to improve with every record, but what the band have done here is stay true to their sound but also corrupt the listener in a way that previous releases led to. This is the record they were always meant to make. It’s perfect. It’s odd and it’s loud. It is perfect in every way. I think the cover of the record also sums up what to expect from the record; strange, will burst your eardrums and will blow your mind.

It may only be their second full length record, but it sounds like something a band would make 10 years in. It’s timeless and every single song needs to be witnessed live. I hope someone books them a UK tour because you just feel like they would put on a fantastic show that sticks with you for all kinds of reasons. Fueled By Hate, Free-Time Crimes and Headless Eyes all have this snarly tone to it- wonderfully obnoxious and you can’t get enough of it. Honestly, this band know exactly what they are doing and I can’t wait to hear more and more from them.

Every song on this record needs to be heard as loud as you can stand- but also make you want to push yourself to go louder. It’s one of the most fascinating records of the year, but what else would you expect from Moron’s Morons?!

DIE VERLIERER

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Trying to find anything out about Die Verlierer is virtually impossible- but that’s fine! Most great bands have/had zero online presence- the music does all the talking.

The music is incredible- I feel like I’ve found a band from the past and brought them to 2023; but I haven’t. I’m not that good. They are just such a fascinating band. They have this really slick Post-Punk sound that so many try to copy but can’t grasp. This band do it their way- they sound like no one else. I think the band are from Berlin, and this record makes you want to move to Berlin and get lost in their music scene. I think I’ve carried that feeling around with me for some time if I’m honest!

Their sound is poetic, dark and hypnotising. The photo above looks like they’ve stepped out of the 80s but when you listen to songs like Intrige und Libido you feel like you’re listening to a Hardcore Punk band from the 90s. There’s a lot going on in their sound, but their sound is impeccable. I can’t think of any other band like this right now- there’s elements of Television (Plastic Life nails this) on this record. It came out last year, and it still feels utterly brand new.

Just because I don’t understand what they are singing about (I did a quick Google Translate so…) but from what i got off Google, this band write songs about the frustrations of daily life and also a song about a man in the moon who is spying on us. This one (Mann Im Mond) has that early sound of The Cure on this one. It’s the atmospheric sound that lures you in every single time. The record is about 40 minutes long, and the record ends with a euphoric number lasting around 11 minutes. The whole record is heavenly. Songs like Deadgirl have that perfect Punk sound- they’ve got the recipe nailed down, and honestly; they’ve got what it takes to be one of the greatest bands of all time. In my head, they’re already there. Deadgirl sounds a tiny bit like New York Dolls vocally, so it is pretty fair to say that Die Verlierer are the best. No debate there at all.

Sometimes you hear a record, and you just want to be completely wrapped up by it. You want it to consume every part of you- you want to hear it everywhere you go, and that’s exactly how Die Verlierer make me feel. I kind of feel like I’ve found a home of sorts in this record. On the journey to work this morning, I got a notification that they’re doing some UK shows so I immediately got myself a ticket for their Manchester show. You can just tell a band is going to be sensational live by how the record makes you feel- and this band completely back this up.

Again, this is another band who have a sound that I would aim for if I were musically talented/in a band. I feel like I gave up a bit on writing about music for a bit, but I hear bands like this, and the love comes back again. I just adore the raw sound they have and how raucous it is. This is the kind of noise that brings joy to my ears and makes me feel calm. I know most would settle for a cup of tea and some tranquil sounds- but give me something like Die Verlierer and I’m set.

Die Verlierer will be heading out on their first ever UK tour in May- grab a ticket. Grab all the tickets! The record is out now and was released via the always exceptional- Mangel Records.

SHAWNIS AND THE SHIMMERS.

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Every once in a while I find a band that makes me want to pack up everything I own (including my cat but she probably owns me) and move to the place where a band I’ve fallen in love with are. One listen of Shawnis And The Shimmers and I am hooked and mentally escaping to Richmond, Virginia to follow them around and become their biggest fan. However, I can’t do it so I’ll do it from afar and from my mind.

Shawnis And The Shimmers make the kind of DIY style music that makes you disregard everything you’ve ever heard. There’s this beautiful basement band feel to their sound- this infectious raw style that will just stay with you on a loop for hours on end. I’ve definitely fallen in love here. There’s also the side that makes me wish I had an ounce of musical talent so I could make songs like they do. Instead, I just write about what I love instead because I can just about do that! There’s this slight Rockabilly sound going on, but for me it’s the muffled vocals and that fuzzy sound of theirs that I just adore.

They’ve got a couple of releases up on their Bandcamp page, and of course they leave you wanting more. Every strong band does that. If I was someone who couldn’t get to sleep at night (for the most part I can) I’d be blasting their sounds out through my headphones every night around 2am until my body finally felt like all energy had been zapped out of me, and my brain had calmed down a bit. This band make the kind of music that you just want to have constantly playing- treat ’em like your own personal soundtrack to your daily life- even if you’re doing mundane tasks.

They released the Wasteland Demo a year ago and a few months later in October, they released the Shimmer Shake EP. I love both records, and they both sum up their sound perfectly. Unapologetically loud and the kind of Queer Punk band I can’t get enough of. They make you want to trash your room, trash someone else’s room even! Their sound is so liberating, and in a way reminds me of New York Dolls and how they weren’t afraid to really push themselves with their sound. But there’s also hints of Riot Grrrrl flowing through. In short, this band are where its at! Imagine growing up in a town in the middle of nowhere then all of a sudden you hear this band! It’d change your life wouldn’t it! You’d finally believe there was a way out.

Wasteland Demo record is ridiculous. It’s so good it should be a crime. It’s got a gnarly sound to it that makes you feel like you’re hearing the future of something that’s yet to be named yet. What I love about this record in particular is that they make you fee as if you’re watching them in a garage or basement rehearsing these songs but at the same time- having this unfiltered sound that is so raw that it is already perfect this way. A chaotic noise-fest which is just a delight to the ears. You’ve got songs like Beer Jacket and Don’t Wait Up are underground classics. You can easily imagine every single one of their songs being played in queer dive bars that exude freedom in all ways possible, and everyone just screaming the songs back at the band- covered in sweat and beer. Maybe not even your own but who cares!

There’s hints of bands like Dead Boys in some of their songs like Wasteland, and that’s all you could ever want from your new favourite Punk band, right?! I don’t know if Shawnis And The Shimmers may ever make it to the UK to tour, but in my mind when I listen to them- I am front row singing the songs right back at them. Their sound is pure magic and you just can’t get enough of it.

CROCODILES: Degeneration.

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It has finally happened! Crocodiles have FINALLY dropped some new material which means- a new record is coming! 7th April to be precise kids! It’ll be released via Lolipop records, and the first single from the record- Degeneration is a perfect introduction to their new record.

If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, you’ll know just how much I love and adore this band. They are a band that have been there for all the good and bad. A band that just know how to constantly create masterpieces. Underrated and exceptional. I just love love them.

Degeneration picks up where 2019’s Love Is Here left off (not including the covers record they put out in 2021!) Their new record will be their 8th full length record (again, not including the covers record but you can if you want!) Even though it picks up from Love Is Here, I can hear some of their early sound in this song- that rugged and distorted sound; the sound that I fell in love with many, many years ago. They have such a distinctive sound and style, and that applies vocally too. They’re a band that just make everything alright. Their poetic lyrics are timeless and their sound is how you’d want your dream band to sound.

The video to Degeneration is simple but you’ll also see Brandon and Charlie’s faces melt. I reckon that’s a strong sign for how great the new record will be- it’ll melt our faces off. I cannot wait! It’s only 2 months to go, but in the meantime- I’ll be keeping Degeneration on repeat.

Check out the video below:

Upside Down In Heaven will be released on the 7th April via Lolipop Records.

THE BATTERY FARM: Flies.

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I’ve been listening to The Battery Farm’s debut record for well over a month. I had something written, but I kept going back to it. Over and over. Then I decided to delete it and start again. Everything I wrote was done in haste and a record like Flies deserves so much more.

The record has been years in the making. It is a labour of love. It is blood, sweat, tears and fears. It’s brutal and gentle. It is vital. It’s the heartbeat of society. It’s one of the most important records of the year. Bands like this are rare and when you find them, my god you love them. Everything they release will always leave you in awe. You’ll feel every emotion possible when you listen to this record. There is hope on this record and there’s also despair. There’s fear and uncertainty but there’s also fight and determination.

From the title track/intro through to In The Belly Of The Beast and right into Everything Will Be Okay. The whole record is just a firepit of hard work and passion. There are zero compromises on this record; it’ll make you feel less alone. It’ll make you take every ugly feeling you own and make into something worth feeling and carrying around. That weight on your back will feel lighter once you’ve played this record. It truly hits you on the opener FLIES. The way in which Ben’s vocals sound possessed is just out of this world. That fury and passion is throughout the whole record from all of them.

The more I play this record, the more I’m in awe of the band. There is no bad song on this record but I wouldn’t go looking for that anyway. Every single song has the potential to be screamed loud in stadiums but screaming the songs back in small sweaty venues holds the same amount of power- if not more! It’s a proper Northern record. A band from anywhere else could not make a record like this- this record is Manchester and it makes me proud to call this city home. Wooden Spoon Number is euphoric. I mean the whole record is, but this one stands out at the moment for me.

Everything Will Be Okay will rip you apart. I struggle to listen to this one just because of how close to the bone it is. It’s so beautiful and vulnerable. If you’ve made it this far in the record without crying- this will be the one that breaks you. I’ve had to stop writing a few times to pull myself together listening to this, but it’s fine to not have it all together isn’t it. Why does it matter if you do or don’t? It’s such a reassuring song and the way you feel like the band are singing this to you and only you is so powerful. I wonder if they know how influential they are? Honestly, this is the kind of record I hope some lost kid in school finds and finds the band that speak to them, and they find their way. Maybe they’ll be a writer, maybe they’ll form a band- but this band will be the root of their influence. You can’t listen to this record and not be moved to do something. Anything.

The second half of the record (Poet Boy onwards) is loud. Unapologetically loud. The whole record is but it goes up a level on the second half. You can’t help but be stopped in your tracks like, “okay this is serious now. Really serious.” Honestly, they just know how to make songs that steal a part of your soul and become like the blood in your veins. I’m basically giving you all the descriptions of how important the band are and how their words are just so vital. I can’t think of another band who are creating music like this.

DisdainGain is a proper teeth kicker. Don’t play this if you’re scared of every losing your hearing. Bloody hell! The way this goes right into it is just insane. INSANE. It’s one of my favourites. I change my mind with every listen but this one is constant. I love the rage in the song. The rage in every element of the song- not just the vocals. Everything feels like a protest on this song and it’s unreal. I adore it. I love the unfiltered rage on this song. If any song sums up what the band are about- it might just be this one. I Am A Man shows vulnerability and stigma around men talking about their mental health. No one should ever (regardless of gender) feel like they can’t talk about how they feel. But unfortunately, it happens. I hope someone hears this and it gives them what they need to find the strength to just speak out and speak up about what’s going on.

Flies is a poetic Punk record from the gutter and poured into the universe for everyone to listen to. Everyone to pay attention to. To feel something, to stand for something and to not give up. This band are what we need. They just have something that stops you in your tracks, and before you know it- you’ve become obsessed. Nothing wrong with that.

I feel like there is more I could write about this record, but the main point is- this record is a lifeline. It’s urgent. It’s important. It’s what is needed right now. It’s what we’ve always needed. It goes beyond being a debut record. Way, way beyond.

SLANT.

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Whilst at work today, I accidentally found the loudest band from South Korea. That band is SLANT. They are proper rowdy. A real hardcore Punk band with a lot of bite and a lot of energy. Short punchy songs that make you feel like you’ve discovered Minor Threat or Bad Brains for the first time.

Now, I know next to nothing about the Punk scene in South Korea but if we are going by how SLANT sound- then it’s pretty safe to say that it’s a decent scene. A scene that you want to completely immerse yourself in. Except, I’m in Manchester and they’re in South Korea so I’ll have to mentally transport myself there. It’s a good job that SLANT make you feel like you’re right there in Seoul with them. They have got this ferocious sound that I’ve not heard in any other band before.

See, with bands like SLANT- you feel like you’ve heard a proper loud band before. But once you hear SLANT everything will completely change. You’ll think everything you heard before them sounds like ambient background noise. SLANT is something else. I have no idea how they do it, I don’t know who they are or their story but I know this- they are incredible.

When I was listening to them at work today (no one was around so I was playing them pretty loud) I felt like I was in some basement Punk venue in Seoul watching them. I totally felt I was right there with the band. They’ve got 3 releases on their Bandcamp page, and I think their latest record came out in 2021 and it’s called 1집 and it’s a record that is not for the faint hearted at all. It’s for those who crave the loud, the out there and the unheard of. Their sound is hard to pin-point and that’s just another part of the charm.

There’s 5 of them in the band, but you feel like there’s a huge gang of them. Their sound is like a secret weapon. You don’t mess with this band at all. Will they ever tour the UK? Who knows. But if they ever do, I’ll make sure I’m at the front taking it all in. A band like this and with this energy don’t come around often. They are made up of members from other South Korean Punk/Hardcore bands, so knowing they have created music similar to this before makes you quickly realise how powerful the Punk scene is there. They’ve released a couple of EPs/demos prior to last year’s debut, and the stuff they’ve put out leading up to their debut is ridiculous. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything else like it.

Take some time out and watch this live set from 2019. It’s mind-blowing!

If like me you can’t stand Christmas songs, then do yourself a favour and check out SLANT. Play them as loud as you physically can- and maybe push yourself to go louder. Scream along and become immediately obsessed with one of the most exciting bands around.

THE VACANT LOTS: SOUP, Manchester 3rd December 2022.

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Finally going back to SOUP to see a band I absolutely adore after a tiring week was just what I needed. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen The Vacant Lots live or how many times I’ve written about them. They are a band that I hold very dear to me- they’ve got me through hell and back. They just have something about them that makes you feel like you’ve escaped to another world. Music is there to be relatable and to give us some escapism.

The Vacant Lots open their set with the euphoric Departure.  This makes you feel like the band are about to guide you into their world with this one- the perfect way to open their set. Departure has such a soothing energy to it; it does make you feel like you’re ready for takeoff.

The set is a blissful mix of old and new- showing us exactly why they are one of the best bands you’ll ever see live. The set has all the greats; Mad Mary Jones, Fracture and 6AM, and the thing that just leaves you in awe is how talented Jared and Brian are. Brian is like s Scientist on stage and Jared is the Punk who holds the guitar like a weapon. No blood was shed this time (if you’ve seen them play live before, you’ll know what I mean!) The only downside was that the venue wasn’t packed. It rightfully should have been packed. It should have been a sweatbox, but those who were there evidently loved what they were witnessing.

I’ve got a handful of bands I could happily watch play live forever and not get bored of them- The Vacant Lots are one of them for sure. Every single time I’ve seen them play I’ve just been left in awe of what I’ve witnessed.

The way 6AM goes right into Mad Mary Jones was ridiculous. The whole set is slick, but this transition was something else. Noise after noise. My hearing right now isn’t great but I’m not bothered about it- you expect it from their shows. Especially if you stand by the speaker!

Never Satisfied is a prime example of Jared and Brian’s songs are sheer poetry with a bite. There’s parts of the set where Brian unleashes hell on the cymbal and drum, and Jared styles out annihilating the guitar in a way that you rarely witness. They take their turn in vocally delivering the songs, and the chemistry they have is evident on record and it’s truly something else when you see it live.

For me, The Vacant Lots are just exceptional live and the show tonight fully showed that. There may have been less than 20 of us in the room but they played their hearts out, and as if they were playing to a stadium full of people. That’s when you know a band truly have it. They’re just a pleasure to see live and if are ever given the chance to see them- take it.

GRAVE GOODS: Tuesday. Nothing Exists.

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This record came out just over a month ago, and I had something written in my drafts. Looked over it, and deleted it. How I felt about the record then and how I feel about it now is different. Not by much, but there’s a difference. This isn’t a bad thing; I’ve had the record on repeat and can safely say that it’s up there as being one of the most flawless and interesting records of the year. It’s everything you love about music, and more.

If you’ve never listened to Grave Goods before, then you are in for a treat with this record. Grave Goods are made up of members from three bands that I’m a huge fan of: PINS, Girls Names and September Girls. If you mix up their sound and influences, and style- then you’ve clearly got a perfect band haven’t you. This is such a fantastic record from that slick sounds to the way the vocals are delivered. It’s got so much excitement to it; there’s this pure thrill you get from every listen because every single listen feels like you are being exposed to something new every single time. I reckon the ideal setting to listen to this record is on the top deck of a double decker bus, in the pissing rain and watching the world go by.

These seven songs are powerful, and songs like Story are a perfect listen on a grey and rainy day in Manchester. The whole record is a huge comfort, and with just seven songs the band completely and utterly show you what they are made of. The songs are digs are what society expects, thoughts, feelings and unspoken narratives. It’s just a phenomenal record, and I honestly feel like it’s a record that just needs to be heard. There’s an urgency to this record that just gives you a kick up the arse.

Listening to this record full whack through headphones or in your room is such a great sensation. You can’t help but take in the lyrics- Miles is a perfect example of this. The storytelling on this is just divine; it’s dark and humorous. The whole record has a dark sound but the lyrics/vocals add this gentleness. It works so well. It’s a heavy record, but it’s done in such a way that leaves you in awe. That’s all there is to it really.

The record ends with Die, and although it’s probably a morbid title for some- it’s a bloody lively song. The last minute of this song is euphoric and it just makes you start the record all over again. That’s when you know you’ve found a record that’ll you keep going back to over and over. You’ll use it as a reference. You’ll compare everything you now hear to this. Every song on the record fits perfectly. They sound as if they are made for this moment and whatever Grave Goods create next will be another masterpiece like this. You just know don’t you, when you listen to a band, and you know that regardless of how much music they put out, it’ll always be mind-blowing. They evidently a band that could never ever make a shit record. They’ve got this ideal sound that I just want to constantly hear. I bloody love this record.

Tuesday. Nothing Exists. Not only is the title of the record great, but you know how Tuesdays are probably the most boring day of the week? This record adds excitement. Play this record every Tuesday on repeat to add some spice to your life. It’ll make waking up less exhausting.

THE VACANT LOTS: Closure.

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There are a handful of bands that, no matter what they release or however it sounds- I’ll always write about it. I may or may not instantly love it, but I’ll find the words to write about why I love the band. A band in particular that always stand out for me and just mean the world are The Vacant Lots. I absolutely adore this band and have done for what seems like an eternity. I feel like they are a band I’ve grown up with and just ended up loving them more and more with each record. They’re a band I could happily watch live forever, and not get bored of it. They take elements of everything I adore about music and make their own sound. It’s everything I love about bands such as Suicide, The Jesus And Mary Chain and a Henry Miller novel. Highly poetic, dark and gripping.

It’s no surprise that record number four, Closure, is a masterpiece. All they do is churn out genius works of art every single time. I’m in awe of the sheer talent that Jared and Brian have. Just the two of them. The two of them make these gorgeous sounds. Closure is everything their previous three records have been leading up to. If you’ve listened to them before, you’ll be familiar with this dark and hypnotic sound they have but on Closure they go a little lighter on the song Eyes Closed. It’s a synth-based lullaby. It’s gorgeous. Sound wise- this record isn’t as heavy as previous, but don’t let that fool you. The lightness on this record may be something slightly new, but that typical sound from Jared and Brian is still there. It’ll always be there.

Their previous work at times felt like you were stumbling out of a New York dive bar at 2am in the cold. This one feels like you’ve let that fresh Autumn air hit you in the face and you feel like you can possibly take on anything. That’s the powerful thing about music and bands you love- they can be your armor and guide. For me, Closure is one of the most enthralling records of the year. It’s chaotic and calm in all the right places. It’s just everything you could possibly want from a band you love.

The only downside to the record is that it lasts only 23 minutes but, these 8 songs will blow your mind. They’ll caress your eardrums. They’ll hit you right in the heart and soul. They’ve totally outdone themselves again, and I cannot wait for the tour in a few months. These songs live will be something else. Hearing the likes of Eyes Closed or Chase live will be insane! I cannot wait.

With a record like this, it’s hard to pick a favourite. I’ll end up changing my mind a lot but at the moment I think it has to be Red Desert that’s my number one. It reminds me of Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain. There’s this delicate sound on this song that reminds me so much of that whole record. It’s a joy to listen to, and it builds up perfectly the ending of the record. In just over 20 minutes, The Vacant Lots truly grip you on this record. If this is your first time listening to them; well, it’s not a bad place to start at all.

As the record comes to a gentle close with Burning Bridges, you cannot help but reflect on how remarkable the record is. Everything about the record is joyful and personal. From the lyrics to the production to the sounds and all in that is in between- Jared and Brian have yet again created something that us fans of the band will treasure for eternity.

With every record they just get better, and Closure fully backs that up. A real joy to listen to and an even bigger joy to be a fan of such an incredible band.