The writing as follows is actually the reviews contributed by Marv (editor of Gadgie Fanzine) featuring the releases of BRUISE CONTROL (Manchester, UK), MISS ESPAÑA (Madrid, Spain) and STARE//WYTRZESZCZ (Edinburgh, UK) but look at it like a long essay (that’s Marv’s style, of course), we’ve filed it as an “article”. Read on…
Now then gadgie,
Nice to meet you, I’m Marv from Lincolnshire in England, writer of the puerile periodical known as Gadgie Fanzine. I enjoy listening to rowdy Punk Rock and telling tales of my various antics and exploits, be they from my wild youth, growing up as a north eastern rascal in the 1980s or more recent misadventures … let’s talk about Punk Rock records!
A few years back, I was sent a demo by a new Manchester band called BRUISE CONTROL which I found rather entertaining in a rambunctious fashion and figured I’d keep an eye out for ‘em. These days there be no need for such eye keeping out as they have exploded all over the Punk scene in this godforsaken isle. I saw the BRUISErs three times last month – a riotous gig at Stuck On A Name in Nottingham, an equally raucous rumpus in the Punk Dungeon that is Mama Liz’s in Stamford, not to mention their set in the prestigious “opening band at The Union on the first night of Manchester Punk Festival” slot. Every time, they were great I am happy to report and now they have a full length-er out to ride the crest of that wave and ride it they are doing as this too is utterly smashing. The “Useless For Something” LP (TNS Records) has been flung out by this bunch of roustabout rogues! BRUISE CONTROL are a blunt and boisterous proposition live in the flesh, yet on record, a number of different layers are revealed. The first two tracks (of nine) rattle about like a hyperactive Labrador puppy when you have the ball and won’t throw it. An uptight and ringing dinging, angular jangular, plum pummelling Punk riot that has me casting my mind back to the days of SHITTY LIMITS and THE LOVE TRIANGLE with their tense tirades of tuneage. By the third number however, a more subtle approach is evident that, and I find this peculiar, as I never noticed this in their live show, betrays a bit of a UK 2000s, indie rocker creeping in. A bit “woo” a bit “way”, some yobbery. All cans of beer and wahey and all that. Lyrically however, they certainly aren’t the “lads” of that era and certainly pack a pointed political punch in amongst the unruly melodies. A heady concoction indeed mixing to dizzying effect, muscular Post Punk pandemonium with more tuneful and agitated anthems. Zoinks, it’s a good ‘un this bugger is. Now, what if I were to liken this BRUISE CONTROL LP to a tall tale from my childhood days? It would have to be the time we played Speedy Zoomers, a nigh on suicidal game we invented where we race each other down the stairs side by side. Lying down. Head first. Bloody idiots. It’s fair to say nobody ever won that game and when our Dad caught us playing it one day, he went mental and we got well done and sent to our bedrooms with no comics or ZX Spectrum for the rest of the day. Hmph.
Next up we are off to Spain would you believe it for some synth punk madness?! Crumbs! La Vida Es Un Mus Records – a London record label with a spectacular rate of hits recently – have brought us a new release from MISS ESPAÑA whose debut LP “Niebla Mental” is sending synth-y sounds around the Thrash Parlour of Gadgie Towers right now. Zonks! Not the usual fare we have in here … it sounds nowt like DISCHARGE, that’s for sure. Nope, what we have here is really deceptive, maddeningly catchy, zynthy synthy 80s pop hooks galore from these Spanish new wave odd balls. Like a grittier B52’S who have sat in a squat all day drinking fizzy pop and getting jacked up on e-numbers and all strung out and loopy whilst spinning records by RATA NEGRA and dancing about like they need the toilet but can’t find the key to the bog door. It’s crackers and I ruddy well love it! Punchy, upbeat and bursting with throbbing vibrancy, MISS ESPAÑA’s ten tracks come all wrapped up in a taut, relentless zinging and zonging zany mania. Anguished pop-pop-a-go-go. Fans of THE EXPOXIES should take note. Blimey what is it about new wavery and synth Punk? It’s all back, isn’t it? Who’d have thought it eh? Anyone heard the new ALTERED IMAGES album while we’re on? Erm, moving on … to liken this album to a childhood escapade, it would most certainly be that time in a Primary School disco when “body popping” and “break dancing” was the thing and when some suitably “breaking” song was played the “cool kids” started doing the “windmill” and the “caterpillar” and spinning around on their head or whatever while everyone else stood around watching with the teachers who had no idea what was going on. Afterwards of course all the rest of us tried to bust out our own incompetent versions of such moves but ended rolling about on the floor and swing our legs in the air and jumping about. It usually descended in to a big scrap and we had to stop the music and go outside to calm down. When we came back in the teachers would play something like Madness or Musical Youth and there’d be no more of that break dancing carry on any more.
One last blast of noise then and we’re off up north of the border to Edinburgh to run the rule over a scurrilous band of anarchic European Punks going by a bi-lingual moniker! STARE//WYTRZESZCZ have just released a compendium of chaos going by the relatively underwhelming name of “Albion Road Sessions.” Fear not though, as the cacophony they create is anything but. Opener is a CONFLICT-esque spoken word/anarcho outburst. A livid lashing out at the current cost of living crisis the UK has been plunged in to by the evil overlords that masquerade as our government. Plunging us back in to Dickensian squalor while feasting on the mountains of money they and their mates are robbing us of from selling off public services, yet the public keep voting these charlatans back in … the mind boggles … Anyhow, the music, Marv, back to the music … yeah, once it gets going STARE//WYTRZESZCZ (song titles in both languages too) are not quite the Mortrahate Anarchos I was expecting and have a far heavier and crustier feel. Some songs have a laboured, heavy and almost epic feel while others ramp up the power and throw out thrusting bursts of dirty, filthy, crusty anarcho Punk! There’s even the odd moment that hints at further adventures in to extremity which is all rather intoxicating if you ask me. At various points you may detect hints of the widescreen crust Punk of TRAGEDY/FROM ASHES RISE, the all out aural assault of ENT or the blunt anarchic aggro of AUS ROTTEN and the likes. While they don’t necessarily sound exactly like these alumni of noise, there’s enough in the ten tracks to suggest that if, like me, you like the nastier, crustier end of Punk Rock, you’ll certainly be intrigued by this horde! I reckon as a live proposition, it’d well worth having yer head stoved in by this lot! A bit of a demo feel, it’s fair to say, but watch out if they get a beefed up production on the next release. The name, should you be wondering, is the same word first in English, then in Polish, their native language. I am told this is because they wanted the locals to be able to say their name with “breaking their tongues!” What a nice gesture eh? What about an analogy where I compare this to some long ago childhood caper though, I hear you ask? It would have to be the time that some scoundrels brought some water bombs in to school and stood at the top of the landing in B Block looking down over the doorway, dropping the fluid filled balloons on anyone unfortunate enough to be the next person who walks through the door. Releasing their payload, hearing someone curse loudly as they were now drenched, the rotters would then leg it through the doors to the first floor, across to the other side and out down the opposite stairs and landing, laughing their chobbers off! That day they hit a teacher though … cripes! They became the stuff of legend and I still am not at liberty to divulge their identity, despite it being coming up to 40 years later!
There we go then folks, get along to these online places and check out these fine bands:
TNS RECORDS
LA VIDA ES UN MUS RECORDS
STARE//WYTRZESZCZ
… and should you want more of my nonsense where you can read about my mishaps and misadventures, then get yourself along to https://www.facebook.com/Nowthengadgie where you can read free digital issues or order paper copies and even my book which is chock full of tales of misspent youth! Up the ruddy punx and all that!
Marv Gadgie
