No one wants to be in a ska punk band any more. But, then again, that’s been the case for a good couple of years now and with arguably good reason. Having said that, there hasn’t exactly been much of resurgence in the last few months and with that in mind it’s a pleasure to hear one of Norwich’s finest young bands putting out an EP like this one, filled as it is with catchy melodies and some of the best hooks this side of Leatherface‘s basement.
There are three blinding tracks that suggest a maturity and depth that is somewhat surprising, especially when considering how easy it would be to put out the same old fast bit / slow bit / off beat stuff that made a lot of bands from California rather rich. ‘Those Bastards Fenced Up Caven Hagen’ stands out as an example of prime ska punk, replete with everything that made Less Than Jake (except for the horns) so vital a few years ago – a huge chorus that’s incredibly hummable, a decent melody and enough youthful energy to drown even the most jaded of hacks. What I like most about ‘Those Bastards…’ is that it’s a startlingly honest picture of growing up that is easy to relate to, while ‘Same Old Town‘ takes a slightly skankier route before descending into a crunch of powerchords and brilliantly executed gang vocals. It’s like Powley are well aware of the conventions of the genre but are willing to mix it up enough to keep things interesting – check the growls on ‘Last Time’ for an example of something just that little bit different.
‘Keep You Quiet’ is another stormer, a poundingly hummable punk rock number that crunches and swoops in equal measure, showing a slightly heavier side to the band. It’s all good, honest ska punk without a shred of pretension, but still with enough of an effort to be a bit different. And while the EP is far from perfect (‘Until The End’ is a disappointingly unambitious song in comparison to the rest, while ‘Entitled’ doesn’t really go anywhere) it’s enough of a taster to suggest that if you’re gagging for some quality new ska punk, then you could do a lot worse than checking out Powley.
Ben
www.powley.tk