It’s been a while since we’ve heard even a whimper from the Graveltrap camp. Way back in 2003 they released a cracking album through Moonska Europe entitled ‘Concrete & Udder Chaos’ which included the anthem to that summer for many underground kids – ‘S.R.J.’ Since then, there’s been little happening with the Milton Keynes foursome, but thankfully the dry spell is over, and with the release of ‘Self-Adhesive Revelations’, a new and improved Graveltrap are back.
Trading in radio-friendly pop punk for something a little more gritty and down to earth, ‘Self Adhesive Revelations’ opens with a killer track in the form of ‘The Hope that Binds Us’. Owing more than just a passing nod to Hot Water Music, it sets things off to a good start, only to be surpassed by the very British ‘The day I died for you’. With sobering lyrics and just the right amount of distortion on the guitars, it’s something of an underground gem and would deserve a place on the next Tony Hawk’s soundtrack.
There’s nothing too daring about this record – it’s a back to basics effort from Graveltrap, but as a five track E.P., it just seems to work. There’s nothing here that hasn’t been done before, but then again there’s not a track here worth skipping when you slam the CD in and press play. If you can get hold of a copy of ‘Self Adhesive Revelations’, make sure you do because it’s definitely worth a good few listens.
Trust in these songs until the end.
Andy R