In a pre-lockdown age, Italian punks Teenage Bubblegums hit their audience with a sound that blended huge influences from the early Ramones catalogue with the musical prowess of a couple of 90s Fat Wreck bands. That approach really came of age when the band cranked out ten numbers in under fifteen minutes on their 2019 “long player” ‘In Limbo’. The record’s chunky riffs and dual male/female vocal created something tough yet melodic, sharing something that could be enjoyed by a broad spectrum of Europunk fans.
Five years on, the ‘Infamia’ EP presents a much more mature and rather different sounding band. Allowing themselves room to stretch out, the five featured tracks take almost as long to play through as twice as many songs from the Bubblegums’ past, but the band’s command of a riff is still great.
Following a whispered intro, a loud drum part marks out a slow rhythm to drive ‘Golden Cage’, while hard edged chugging guitars help to carve out a sound that’s closer to melodic hardcore than Teenage Bubblegums’ previous knockabout punk sounds. A reverbed vocal tops everything with a shoegaze-ish feel and, eventually, each of the influences comes together to hit upon a slow and heavy groove that, despite being a thousand miles away from the Teenage Bubblegums of old, works quite effectively. Opting for something even heavier, ‘Temporary And Permanent’ kicks off with a riff that’s Melvins-esque, and following a couple of stops, a lead guitar adds an almost gothic sounding, doomy tone. This really comes into its own when a scaled back bridge between a sludgy opening and speed driven second half shares a solo melody from the guitar. Much like the opener, this is more about mood and riffs than lyrical hooks, but those who value a chunky sound above all else will love it.
Introducing more of a post-punk influence via the guitar and placing that against a crashy drum part, the short ‘Mistery of Pain’ [sic] shows how well the re-jigged Teenage Bubblegums can plough through an old school alternative riff or six, and when coupled with another haunting, breathy vocal, it creates a powerful and sharp listen, before the rather more moody ‘An Enigma’ teases with an intro that winks sarcastically in the direction of Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’. That creates a great, if cheeky, impression before the trio absolutely explode into a world of post punk/post rock where the energy of The Wipers collides with the hard edged forcefulness of the more contemporary sounds of Defeater (without the harsh vocal). What becomes clear here, more so than on the rest of the EP, is how tight the Bubblegums now sound as a band. The marriage of drums and guitars is flawless; the bottom end supplied by the bass, despite never being too prominent, also brings a real weight to their overall approach. In terms of using their combined talents, this contemporary power trio stance is more effective than merely accepting their place as just another punky band.
In closing, ‘The Summertime Miracle’ reintroduces a more obviously punky riff, but intercuts that with an off-kilter rhythm, before slowing to introduce a repetitive, throbbing bass tone and more doom laden riffs. The heavier elements of the intro make it seem as if it’s twice as long as it actually is, but by the time the trio finds their feet with the help of a three chord riff and whispered vocals that bring everything full circle with the opening of this release, everything sounds great. Then, at the point they figure things have become predictable, the guitars and drums fall away to reveal a droning organ which pulls everything to a downbeat close. More concerned with atmospheres than any real hooks, this feels like an underwhelming way to bow out, but the journey to this point has been fascinating, especially if you arrive at this release expecting the sounds of a great but trashy punk band.
On the whole, ‘Infamia’ is so different to the early, punky Teenage Bubblegums that you might even find yourself wondering if this wouldn’t have been better off being issued under a different name. That said, it’s worth hearing for ‘An Enigma’ and ‘Temporary And Permanent’, and despite the tonal shift, it’s still massively enjoyable. It’s not entirely fair to compare ‘Infamia’ to the band’s earlier output, since it really does present a very different sound throughout, but in terms of playing and hooks, it’s really solid. For those able to keep a more open mind and ear, the Teen’s new-found maturity will certainly have its own appeal.
March 2025