The number of bands reliably playing dirty street punk proficiently dwindles by the hour as political and social themes are eschewed in favour of songs about girls and how much of a tragedy it is when the black hair dye runs out. Viewed from this angle ‘Corruption’ is a breath of familiar air, a consistently abrasive album that deals simply with whatever troubles the band, from anti-American sentiment to getting pissed to a rant against internet addicts (damn…).
It’s worth stating right for the outset that Jester are not complex, nor endowed with a great deal of technical ability, but are able to make a few chords and some well-timed gang vocals into a raucous singalong. ‘Something To Believe In’ takes a simple riff and applies it throughout a catchy song that uses the scratchy guitars (probably as a result of the less-than-sterling studio production, a facet of ‘Corruption’ that perhaps adds to the all-pervading atmosphere of grit) and ever-present gang vocals to strong effect. It’s the most energetic and powerful track here, and one that suggests that sticking with this melodic direction could pay dividends for the band.
While the lyrical subject matter of ‘Slaves To The USA’ and the title track aren’t exactly radical slabs of new thinking it’s admirable that Jester are tackling these themes of dissent, since the number of UK bands that regularly and prominently promote their views and beliefs isn’t quite as high as one might expect in today’s social climate. And placed next to the hardly-cerebral ‘Party Song’ and ‘Drinking Song’ they manage to work, painting a picture of a band in touch with their community, not aiming to raise themselves above and away from their origins and everyday life. Again, there’s the familiar run through a simple chord sequence and some rowdy vocals that subtitles the entire disc but you get the idea that Jester are fully aware of their limitations and are content to work within them.
Having said that, there are a few moments when Jester really slip into a higher gear. The metallic riffing on ‘Slaves To The USA’ is a revelation because it smears the whole song with a filthy blackness that makes it stand out from the pack, just as the sneering heft of ‘Crimewave’ implies that a larger, heavier sound is only a few muted riffs away. As an album ‘Corruption’ is the musical equivalent of a Cornish Pasty – undeniably solid and downright necessary at times, but as soon as you open the wrapper you know exactly what you’re going to get, and it’s up to you to decide whether or not that’s a good thing or not.
Ben
www.jesterpunkuk.co.uk
www.soundclick.com/jesterakajesterpunkuk