There’s a lyric in the second song (and lead single) of Kingston Upon Hull punks Less Deceived’s new EP that very succinctly sums up a great deal about the band’s worldview, and also provides this release with its title. The line goes, “We could find new ways to walk home, but we never fucking do”. There’s a sense of shoulder-shrugging resignation that seeps out of this line, and arguably everything that Less Deceived have released up until this point, but rather than coming across as bitter or angry, the band actually exude a warmth that few punk bands manage today.
As can be seen in the titles of the band’s previous releases ‘It’ll Never Get Better Than This’ and ‘Average Songs About The Best Days Of Our Lives’, Less Deceived deal heavily in the nostalgia people feel for the ‘good old days’, and in doing so point a light on the struggles we all face in trying to cling onto the happiness of youth, even in the face of changes beyond our control. This notion takes on even more resonance when applied to the band itself, who in the past 12 months have faced multiple changes to their line-up following the departure of original vocalist Adam Harraway late last year, and then founding guitar player Dave Morrow this May. Finding themselves down to two men, remaining members Harry Slater and Dom Chapman opted to continue, with Harry shifting into the vacant lead singer role and new guitar player Dan Bartram rounding out the now 3-piece.
Within seconds of EP opener ‘The Inevitable Song About Trains’, it’s clear Less Deceived version 2.0 have not missed a beat and are still capable of dishing out the same glorious brand of melodic punk rock that helped them gain a considerable amount of attention in the past couple of years. Sonically the band are something of a time capsule from an era before Fall Out Boy, where ‘pop punk’ meant whatever Fat Wreck Chords were pushing out at the time. There’s a satisfying rough edge to the band’s sound that suits their gruff-yet-anthemic approach to punk, the EP lacking a little of the gloss found on their first two releases and sounding all the better for it. The guitars are fuzzy and the bass warm and clunky, and the lack of unnecessary overdubs gives the EP a satisfyingly live sound.
The aforementioned single ‘That Shit’ll Kill You’ is destined to become a live favourite, starting with an upbeat flurry of power chords, pounding drums and Harry’s impassioned vocals before shifting gears into a slower, more epic second half that revolves around the wonderful vocal hook after which the EP is named. It’s a song that showcases every angle of Less Deceived’s sound and is destined to inspire a good few sailor tattoos before the band’s life is over. The EP closes with maybe its most heart-warming track, ‘LDNY’. This song is clearly a love letter to the band’s departed vocalist, who left to pursue life over the ocean in New York City, and it’s a striking and unexpectedly beautiful track that tells its tale of friendship knowing no distances with great passion.
The song ends the painfully brief EP on a high note, both emotionally and musically, and leaves you yearning for more from a band that have fought through adversity to earn their place on your stereo. Less Deceived are making the kind of music that the punk scene is desperately lacking at the moment – raw, honest, fun without being silly. In just 3 songs they’ve presented one of the most inviting punk rock records of the year, its only failing being its brevity. Join us in crossing your fingers for a full-length from the band in the near future.
JAMES LEE