Pennsylvania two piece Advocaat are a punk band who truly value melody and hooks. The core of most of the songs from their debut EP ‘Yikes!’ call back to the early days of Face To Face, Down By Law and the rockier – less Ramones-y, less skate-oriented – end of the US punk scene, and each of those highlights both great playing and songwriting. What’s more, their songs don’t just recycle these influences in the same old way: as offbeat as their choice of name, the duo seem unafraid to inject these punky sounds with a couple of adventurous alternative quirks.
Tag Archives: punk
RADIO BLAST – In Your Face! EP
New York punks Radio Blast are one of those bands that wear their influences proudly. Not only does their brand of timeless pop punk owe a huge debt to the sounds made by Ramones back in the 70s, but almost everything they do suggests a massive love of Screeching Weasel. Their band name comes from one of Ben Weasel’s most classic songs; the artwork used their 2019 EP ‘Let’s Rock’ that bears a striking resemblance to the first edition of SW’s ‘My Brain Hurts’ and even the slightly off key backing vocals on that EP’s ‘Teenage Crush’ could’ve been directly inspired by any number of Weasel songs. What this means, of course, is that fans of the genre know exactly what they’re in for…and Radio Blast are yet another great band in a very long line of Ramonescore acts that value catchy hooks at almost every turn.
GET THE FUCK OUTTA DODGE – We Make The Future Here EP
Sheffield duo Get The Fuck Outta Dodge are one of the best two piece garage punk outfits ever. Their fuzz heavy debut LP ‘Climbin’ Higher Than King Kong’ valued heavy fuzz over almost everything and by combining intensive riffs with a dual vocal attack, their barrage of crashy noises and shouting made an instant impression. It wasn’t especially original, but between some massively sweary hooks and lo-fi sounds it managed to be the best hardcore influenced noise since Mongol Horde unleashed their debut LP in 2014.
CHASER – Look Alive EP
Now twenty years into their career, skate punks Chaser sound as blistering as ever on their 2020 release ‘Look Alive’. Although only a two track 7” release, its pair of songs acts as a sharp reminder of the SoCal band’s blend of high octane riffs and social commentary driven lyrics. Released at a time when the world appeared to be falling apart – mass protests in the US suggest an urgent need for a change of government and a global pandemic pretty much wrote off the year – their messages of unity and togetherness are exactly what’s needed.
STINKING POLECATS – Stinking Polecats EP
After spending years fronting Ramones obsessives Tough, bassist Chris Polecat revived The Stinking Polecats. It was an unlikely move, given that Tough had gained some really positive press and the Polecats had been away for fifteen years – more than your average hiatus. But like so many good punk bands, those fifteen years might as well just have been two or three, since upon their return, the band merely picked up where they’d left off and sounded as good as ever.