Back in 2000, when the rock press seemed to spend a lot of their time getting excited by debut albums from A Perfect Circle and Linkin Park, and most punk was starting to be treated like old news, The Briefs burst onto the US punk scene with their debut album ‘Hit After Hit’. Behind its ironic title, the record shared a bunch of hard edged tunes, bristling with riffs on loan from The Ruts and The Clash, along with the kind of gang vocals that drove the second wave of UK punk. They sat alongside other revival bands like Lower Class Brats and Street Dogs, but were clearly superior musicians and songwriters from the get go. Twenty plus years on, their ‘Sex Objects’ album showed off slightly bigger production values, but the band’s songwriting and musical approach had clearly held firm. With a bunch of speed driven numbers that showed influences from The Clash, Buzzcocks and Lurkers, The Briefs still shared a love for older British punk, but – from a US standpoint – some of the material shared the furious energies of The Germs. In terms of style, it was a great record.
This two pronged digital release from 2024 is the kind of return that’ll more than please the fans. The title cut thunders forth with a pogo-worthy rhythm where the chords power at speed, and the lead guitar throws out a threatening howl. Settling into the verse, there’s more of a melody, but also an obvious sharpness that compliments a scowled vocal that brings a US accent to a very British shoutiness. Once the lead guitar steps in for a furious solo, there are tonal elements here that aren’t always far removed from Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards, but at the same time, fans will recognise the core of an explosive sound as being “classic Briefs”. The chorus hook is simple and direct – in classic street punk tradition – with a choir of voices latching on to the title for a basic repetition. Simple it may be, but by sharing something that could’ve been a Rancid-ish take on a Sham 69 classic (but with a touch more of a concession to melody) it creates something Briefs fans will love, and seemingly without having to try too hard.
‘You Can Move Me’ is just as good, but in a very different way. An energetic lead guitar is used to fill out a fast intro. This injects more of a punk ‘n’ roll element to The Briefs’ sound – sort of like a tighter Drowns – and as the tune gathers momentum, a dancing bass and punchy drum showcases a superb rhythm section. A cleaner vocal works hard to add a curling edge to a great melody, and although the chorus hook here isn’t quite as instant, the track still works, thanks to a buoyant sound and a great energy shared throughout its first half. An instrumental break presents a great guitar solo – first attacking with a huge, punky two note assault that’s almost siren-like, then shifting into a more traditional rock ‘n’ roll shred – before the final bars make a concession to offering something a little catchier. A repetition of the title during the last bars and eventual fade ensures that the listener is left with a proper earworm as everything descends into silence. This track still has a punk-ish edge, but some listeners will hear the ghosts of UK new wave circa ’78 and those half forgotten acts like Tonight providing a subconscious influence. This is certainly more melodic than the bulk of The Briefs’ material, but that lean towards something a little more mature has created one of their best tunes to date.
The band’s press materials liken The Briefs’ arrival years ago as being like a “molotov cocktail thrown into the middle of a bland alternative rock scene”. If there’s any truth in that, then this release shows how the band really haven’t lost too much of their edge in a quarter of a century. If you’ve enjoyed anything The Briefs have previously hurled in your direction, you know you want this. If, somehow, these punks have snarled under your radar, this is still definitely worth checking out.
October 2024