It makes you look like a proper spanner if you use a press release for a CD for anything more than a quick insight into a band, but to (completely) disagree with the statement of “Simple, catchy, straight-up punk-rock like it should be done” in regard to The sWord would just be plain, well, wrong.
‘A punkier Dugong’ is something probably a fair description of this CD, which is, of course, no mean feat. There’s nothing on this CD which is as catchy as Silver and Gold et al, but enough with the comparisons: this stands very capably in its own right. It’s 9 tracks long, and I had to get to track 7 before I found anything that I could even begin to criticise. ‘Mountain to climb’ doesn’t quite have the warm, welcoming aspect to the vocals which most of the rest of the songs have in abundance. But even then, it still manages to get some catchy guitar parts into the mix and leave you quite happy that a ‘low’ point can actually not be very low at all. Final track ‘Tonight’s the night’ is also one which didn’t quite receive the final touch – once it is 30 seconds old it’s fantastic, but the opening really doesn’t do it for me.
And that’s it, I’ve pretty much covered all the bad points in absolutely no time at all. The rest of this CD is exactly what you expect if you’re familiar with the Leeds punk scene and the crop of (quality) bands which often frequent it. Emotional, gritty and engaging – I can’t really say anything bad about the rest of the songs. So much so I’ve got the opening half dozen on loop; Track 3 ‘Want for nothing’ is a class apart from most punk songs I’ve heard in ages.
This CD is £2 direct from the guys. Two measly pounds. I can think of umpteen CDs at five times that price which achieved five times less listening than what I’ve given this CD. Ignore its (relatively few) flaws and buy yourself a slice of honest, catchy punk-rock. Now.
www.cleanituprecords.com
Spud
