Those of you who have read my column (if not WHY NOT?! dammit) will know that I firmly expected some little unsigned local band to come out of nowhere and totally blow me away. I’m pretty glad that it has happened so soon, and in such a spectacular style. Those of you who think the best bit about my reviews is the end of them can stop reading now, because I’m going to spoil the surprise. This 7 track demo is getting 5 stars, and I’d give it more if I could. Why? Because it’s a mix of the best bits of Gash, Consumed, Bad Religion, 4ft Fingers and NOFX. If you’re not into any of those bands then this raving will go straight over your heads. If, however, you do have even the slightest inkling of passion for really fast, hard edged melodic punk rock then read on.
‘I’m Still Fighting’ gets things going, and is a pummelling track underpinned by some frankly ridiculously fast drumming and a classic chorus. It’s all fists in the air, going mad in the pit type stuff, and I haven’t heard it doen this well for ages. It’s very similar to ‘We Don’t Care’, another awesome track. Sonically, it’s like later Bad Religion with some rough and raw edges, courtesy of (I’m assuming) much, much beer, contributing to a triumphant sound that, while it’s obviously derivative of a hundred and one punk rock bands, really does soar above the rest of the pack.
The first time I listened to the track ‘Something’s Wrong’ I was in the middle of a shave. I then proceeded to cut myself (Buzztone: you owe me a plaster) because I couldn’t believe that this song was so…damn…good. It starts off innocuously enough, just another good quality punk song, but then the Vai-esque guitar interludes lead into a chorus and middle eight that just blew me away. It’s an exercise in how to write the perfect song, vocal harmonies duelling with the melodies of the guitars creating a truly awesome effect.
Obviously, being a demo from a small unsigned band, the sound quality isn’t as good as it could have been, and there are certainly more than a few rough edges. But I think that it all adds up to the sweaty, dirty, punk rock vibe that we know and love. On the self-promoting (and rightfully so) ‘we Play’ they state that they’d play for only thirty quid. In my opinion, that’s an injustice when more moribund, identikit ‘ska’ punk bands are falling over themselves to jump on every bandwagon going just to afford another BMW and this lot are struggling to scrape any amount of recognition. The last track is a cover of ‘Sweet Child’ and it’s hilarious to hear, simply because of so many false starts. Now, that song is one of my personal favourites, and I really wasn’t sure about how it might turn out. But they’ve made it into two and a half minutes of pure punk rock, with a uniquely English slant on an American anthem. Is that a signal that finally British punk rock is going to leap the boundaries and supersede that of the US? With Buzztone still to reach their peak, I certainly believe so.
What Buzztone play isn’t fashionable or trendy or even that difficult. It’s just absolutely awesome in its execution – fast, melodic and passionate to the extreme. Whoever you are, reading this review right now, GO AND FIND THEM. Sign them up, tell the kids, mortgage the house. I think they’re that good. I might be just ranting about a band that perhaps everyone else will hate, but I urge you to take a chance and check them out.
Ben
Email: si_buzztone@hotmail.com
Link: www.buzztone.org