The Scrub – Life’s torn the Tuna out and Left Me for a Bread Roll

Oh yes, finally The Scrub have recorded a new CD! The Scrub really do have a great talent and this is why they have been one of my favourite bands of the last few years. Their music is just so energetic, fun, and truly entertaining and rewarding. On display here are 4 great tracks from the superb Bristol Skacore band. Bristol has been a great place for music with even the almighty Five Knuckle hailing from there. In all honestly I believe that The Scrub are on a par with Five Knuckle as every single tune they ever make always seems to sound perfect just like Five Knuckle have the fine talent of.

This CD kicks off with the super Ska scorcher of ‘Fine Time.’ I was really impressed when I heard this track on the CD for the first time as when I had heard a demo of it a while back it was full of Ska clichés and just sounded a bit cheap – and I know that The Scrub are far more than a clichéd, sound alike Ska band. The song definitely sounds a lot better now they have been removed and is a classic Ska track I will surely be listening to for a long while yet. This track never seems to get old – no matter how many times you listen to it – it always sounds great with amazing lyrics, some great bass lines, superb guitar riffs, some classic horn lines, and deadly drum beats. This one definitely has an element of 2-tone in it and mixed with their hardcore, verging on metallic guitar skills it is a definite hit. Just when you think it is coming to an end it goes into a classy little instrumental before running through the chorus one last time. I really think that the band have chosen wisely for a track to kick the CD off as this one really sets the mood and gets you ready for some hardcore skanking.

This energy and excitement carries into the second track, ‘Storm Ahead’ and third track ‘Rhonda.’ These are both amazing songs in their own right however they are both completely different in sound yet still distinctly Ska. The bands talent is really shown in their ability to change style as if at the flick of a switch and come out smelling of roses. However, it is in final track ‘Unstuck?’ that the band truly shows off just how talented they are. This one is a slow paced Ska classic and again they show off their 2-tone influence and do it in style. ‘Unstuck?’ has a great vocal collaboration that really does go down a treat. It sounds awesome and rounds the CD off nicely. The pace has dropped, and you know the CD is coming to a close – it is quite a depressing stage on the CD as you want more but know that the EP is soon to finish. Just when you think the CD is no more and you have started to drift off, a nice little instrumental kicks in and wakes you up again. It has a laid back on a sunny beach feel to it and gives the EP a truly classic ending. It definitely leaves you wanting more so hopefully there will be a few more CDs to follow from this band as otherwise I will not be a very happy bunny!

If you are a fan of Ska or Skacore then make sure you check out The Scrub at some stage as they really are a talented little 6 piece and I believe that they are a band that are going far in this business. There is no reason why they shouldn’t go far as the talent is definitely there so if they put in the hard work then before long they can definitely see themselves at the forefront of the scene.

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Sudden Drop + Zerell @ The Basement, Maidstone

Ok well there was a pretty poor turnout for this gig – which was to be expected really since the gig was at Maidstone’s very own dump of a venue ‘The Basement.’ These two bands should be playing to crowds far greater than this as there is nothing that separates them from the big names on the circuit. Tonight the sound wasn’t too great but never the less the bands ploughed on and got through their sets as usual (well if you don’t count Mark of Zerell’s guitar string snapping anyway!)

First on tonight were Zerell – an exciting punk band from London. The band played a good set and although it was quite a short one and to a very limited number of people they still managed to put their all into it and play a blinder. The sound quality was quite bad and for a lot of the set you couldn’t really hear the guitars but this is through no fault of their own and I am sure that if the sound had been of a better quality then the gig would have been faultless. You could really tell that the band were having a good time out there and were enjoying the music which they were creating. Zerell are such an energetic band and I think that this is what makes their music so entertaining – a lot of bands have the problem with their sets of staying still throughout their sets making them a bit boring to watch but Zerell did not do this. I will definitely be checking this band out again – they are an extremely talented band with a hell of a lot of energy and everyone that was at the gig had a great time when they were on.

The second band on were Maidstone’s very own heroes Sudden Drop. They also had a lot of talent and put their all into their set, playing a collection of their own songs plus a cover of the Chilli Peppers. Sudden Drop went down well I reckon – especially when they chucked a load of glowsticks into the crowd under the condition that we would all start dancing. Up to then the gig was a bit static with everyone just sort of standing around due to the small number that actually bothered to turn up to the gig. Sudden Drop seem to be a pretty tight band – they had some strong guitar riffs, cool drum beats, sublime bass lines, and some truly amazing vocals. I think everyone in the room was feeling this band – they really are something special and their music is absolutely spot on. I will also be trying to check this band out in the future due to their great talent and style – plus all their gigs are fairly local which has to be a bonus.

Overall this was a pretty quality gig, and despite the fact that the sound at The Basement wasn’t too amazing both bands still managed to play good sets with both showing signs of greatness. I will definitely be checking out these two bands again at some stage and for the two of them to play together again at some point would be great. If any promoters are reading this then try and book these two bands for a gig – they make a deadly duo.

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Sum 41 – We’re All To Blame

When this CD came through the post I was really looking forward to listening to it and got it in to the player as fast as I could. The reason for this is that I had heard a track on the Rock Against Bush compilation and been really impressed with what I had heard so was hotly anticipating this track. I have to say I was definitely not disappointed when this track kicked off – you are thrown straight in at the deep end with a heavy opening guitar riff showing that the bands Pop Punk days are now in the quite distant past. Sum 41 are no longer a Pop Punk band for the Under 14s to enjoy – they are a much more mature band these days producing some top notch material.

‘We’re All To Blame’ is by far the greatest Sum 41 track I have ever heard with its awesome metallic guitar riffs, strong drumming, blinding bass lines, and excitable vocals. Derek is definitely a talented vocalist and I think that it is on the bands heavier tracks that this talent really shines through so on this track his voice sounds totally amazing. This track has a superb chorus that will stick in your mind and you will be singing along to it as you walk about for the rest of the week. Never before have the band produced a song quite as exciting as this one – it is a truly energetic, catchy little number that is far heavier than their earlier material and they are sounding a hell of a lot better for it.

This single has been taken from their forthcoming album ‘Chuck,’ and if this is anything to go by then this album will definitely be the bands greatest album thus far and most certainly the heaviest. The band have definitely matured and come of age since they emerged on the scene with ‘Fat Lip’ a few years back and they have most certainly changed for the better with their newfound heavy material.

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Shuriken – Evacuate / Disintegrate

Ok, I was really looking forward to listening to this CD but the first time I listened to it I was really quite disappointed. Having been impressed with all of the bands previous material and the way that they have slowly but surely progressed I thought this would be a blinder and I would instantly be hooked! It really did take me a while to get into this CD but after a few weeks hard listening I am really in to this CD now and think it is a quality effort from a band that will surely go far.

You can definitely hear the early Saves The Day influence on this band, but they are individual enough to make them great in their own right and you can really appreciate that this band have slowly evolved into the superb band we see before us today. This CD has very professional artwork to go with a superb quality recording of excellent production that should see them go straight to the top of the scene. No longer are the band using their early Lego style designs – not only has their music matured but their professionalism in CD covers also. This is a mighty fine EP with 6 strong tracks that will most certainly put a smile on your face with their post hardcore greatness. Shuriken are a band who create fun music that is great to dance to and when listening to their CDs you can just imagine them being an extremely energetic and extravagant live band that send everyone home from their gigs with a huge smile on their face.

Opening track ‘The 18th Emergency’ is probably the highlight of the CD for me with its fun punk attitude, great lyrics, and fun vocal style. It has some truly amazing guitar riffs as well – the kind of guitar riffs that make you want to go out and purchase a guitar so you can play them yourself! The acoustic version of ‘Arch Nemesis’ was also a bit of a highlight for me as I had been very pleased with the track on their single, so hearing it again brought back great memories of this amazing track and summers gone by. It really is an awesome track and I like what the band have done with it on this EP. The fact it is acoustic definitely takes nothing away from the track – in fact I think it adds character to the song and makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

If you have heard previous material of the band and have been impressed then I strongly suggest that you check out this new CD as it is really something special. This band have come a long way since their early material and although I have loved everything that the band have done in the past, I love this EP a hell of a lot more and feel that the band have come on in leaps and bounds since their early recordings. This EP is definitely something to get excited about and is a vital CD for your collection – you can rest assured that this will be played many a time in the future. Do yourself a favour and buy this CD today – I promise you won’t be disappointed with what you hear!

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