I love it when European bands put on their American hats and play ballsy punk rock. While there's a definite Rise Against-meets-Ten Foot Pole vibe to Stolen Bikes Ride Faster, you cannot escape their Euro-isms. And while I probably sound like a xenophobic old twat, song titles like 'I Result Impatient' and 'They've Drown A Strip' are grammatically incorrect and rather charming. The mainland accent tinges their vocals, but don't let that put you off SBRF, who, when they really go at it, sound a bit bloody brilliant. 'Eyesblinder', for instance, is a right tune. It's just all too often I'm left thinking there are better bands who play this kind of music just that little bit better.
And while The Draft, Samiam and even Rise Against have all put out great fist-in-the-air anthemic punk rock albums this year, Stolen Bikes... can say they've done something good too, even if it probably won't rise out of the shadows of those great bands. 'Nothing Has Changed' is a good little EP though, clocking in at around 6 songs and 18 minutes, not outstaying its welcome and putting you in the mood for something a little stronger. 'Fall Down' and the aforementioned opening song are decent efforts too, suggesting our Euro friends should not be ignored when it comes to this type of music.
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