Lost and found 5: four punk records

New episode of Lost and found with four punk records to discover

Here we are with the fifth edition of Lost and Found, today discovering four records not to be missed. Enjoy the reading and the listening!

Neuvegramme – L’Inesausta Tensione / Relentless tension (Lanterna Pirata, Burning Bongalow)

Neuvegramme in some weird dialect means bad news, although in this case, the news is good. We were waiting for a return of the Ligurian band after the excellent self-titled debut, I guess it’s not easy to reconcile the commitments and the writing in a band of six elements that have three main voices. It’s not with a new full length that Neuvegramme present themselves but with an EP of 5 very full-bodied songs, but they don’t leave a feeling of incompleteness, on the contrary, the duration of about 18 minutes allows you to immerse yourselves in a product with great care.
This is the main difference from the first album, which was, like every debut, more dedicated to urgency than to reasoned thought. L’inesausta Tensione (Relentless tension) is physically presented as a booklet that accompanies the music with graphic works, not always impeccable but certainly interesting, and lyrics that touch the poetic without expiring in excessive pretentiousness. It’s fun to listen to because musically it’s not a trivial work, on the contrary, except for the less serious Uno Qualsiasi (Anybody) (which seems to have been conceived to be played live) every track is structured, made of crescendos, reflective pauses, apt sounds, and sensations. It is a pleasure to listen to L’Inesausta Tensione (Relentless tension), let’s hope we won’t have to wait too long for a follow-up.

Quicksand – Distant Populations (Epitaph)

Perhaps the record of the year, in my opinion. It is perfect in terms of production, intensity and writing. Distant Populations arrives like a stab in the chest, an album that Quicksand didn’t have the obligation to write, but maybe the emotional need has overcome the difficulties due to the many projects to which the band members were well anchored. Twelve songs that express, through riffs and vocal textures, what is the hardcore of the emo school, a genre that is having its revenge in recent years, after having been the prerogative of experts and insiders, secondary in terms of sales in the catalogues of labels such as the never too praised Revelation. To give an example, Garrison is cool, but maybe not so present in the record library of the average hardcore punk collector. Quicksand updates the topic, they make it their own, without of course the arrogance of Turnstile, with whom there is still a big generation gap. Age difference that in this case doesn’t become a handicap, on the contrary, the compositional maturity makes them even more enjoyable. I won’t hide the fact that I’ve changed my mind about this album a couple of times, like a good whisky it has to be tasted and seasoned before making a final judgement. Of course, those who are nostalgic for the first EP with the sounds of the legendary Don Fury might turn their nose up at William Yip’s work, a very shrewd choice given that he has been behind the mixer of Title Fight, Superheaven and Tiger Jaws, in short, all the modern emo-gaze that counts. The mix works, the band’s experience combined with contemporary production is the basis of a work perfectly centred on our millennium, whether you like it or not, Distant Populations is certainly not a record that smells of old.

I Like Allie – Rare Instances of Independent Thinking (Paper and Plastick ,NoReason Records, General Soreness )

Few things are as far from my taste as the sub-genre played by I Like Allie, and yet…and yet already in that pearl of harmony that is the 2 minutes of Opening Number I understand that I’m in front of a record that will accompany me for several months, with which I will argue and then quietly make peace, like two old lovers who always throw the same faults in each other but who love each other and will never leave each other. “You’re too melodic,” I’ll yell at him, “but punk was born melodic,” he’ll point out. “Yes, but the guitars are too clean, it’s no good”. but here he is again, with disarming calmness, asking me “do you feel that there is a lack of power?” I’ve lost, dear I Like Allie, you guys put out a hell of a record.
“Your Superpowers are stupid”, with that vaguely Badalamentian atmosphere (what a bass!) is one of my favourite songs of this year, the most unique and least codifiable. Then we enter more usual territories: Leatherface, Alkaline trio, Latterman, are the first names that come to my mind, but there’s plenty of choices, the writing comes from a solid base of listening and musical knowledge, without abusing the use of Clichés. Also worth mentioning are the almost six minutes of The Chaser and the final Title Track (with guest Laura Stevenson, ex Bomb the music industry!), both with massive and skilful use of new wave guitars. Slightly weaker, on the whole, Go out there, Get Superpowers and live your dream, while paradoxically lowering the tone and entering the more shoegaze territories of A Reaction Paper on salt the album recovers and doesn’t miss a beat for the whole duration. I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy, I suggest putting your hands in your wallet and pre-order it even if you are not a fan of the “Melodic side of the Punk”, you might be pleasantly impressed.

Barbara Still – Demo

Barbara Still are a fresh quartet from Spezia, Italy, who play post-punk in the style of Eversor with clear references to Kina. All this is proposed in a fresh and personal way, with all the advantages and defects due to age.  Sweetly out of tune, rough because of impetuosity and not anger, melancholic without an excessive depressive vein.
Only three tracks, but they fully achieve the goal of every self-respecting demo, that is to frame the band and make it recognizable. Arpeggios and wave guitars are supported by good bass-drums phrasing, sometimes stumbling but always effective. The great thing about Barbara Still is that they know how to turn their faults into an advantage, especially on a vocal level, after the first moments of bewilderment you listen to the singer’s peculiar voice.
Barbara Still have all the time to evolve and they must surely work to improve some small defects but it’s worth giving them space and making them play, let’s cultivate what we have.

Reviews by Nick Northern, Translation by Max

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