Sonic Boom Six have long been one of the most promising young bands in the country, with their live shows being an incendiary mix of punk, ska, dub and hip hop. Until now their recorded output has been limited to a couple of EPs that, while providing a decent introduction to the band, have never slammed through into the public consciousness by capturing the live sound of a band that could reasonably trademark the word “exciting” for use in reviews. So take heart, because ‘The Ruff Guide to Genre Terrorism’ is not only the best album released so far this year, but the most important UK album since ‘Civil Disobedients’.
Taking the liberal attitude to genre that characterised Capdown‘s thunderous arrival onto the scene much further than the Milton Keynes mob ever did, Sonic Boom Six‘s debut album is as accurate a reflection of multicultural Manchester as can be envisioned. Take ‘Shareena’ as an example – bhangra beats collide with familiar punk harmonies and a crunching rhythm that invites as much lyrical examination as it does sweaty-pogoing. The argument that SB6 are a strictly political band, and as such only merit consideration because of their right on worthiness, is a non-starter since ‘The Ruff Guide…’ contains as many party songs as it does socially-conscious calls to arms. Juxtaposing the bouncy ‘Don’t Say I Never Warned Ya’, a practically universal and well-observed study of the confusion of being young with the focussed vitriol of ‘Danger! Danger!’ only accentuates their ability to form coherent, relevant opinions through all musical media. Lyrically SB6 are spot on throughout, without any of the clumsy rhymes that peppered their earlier output. All three vocalists have come on in leaps and bounds in delivery and content, and it’s hard not to raise a smile at the sheer subversiveness of dropping an “ickle” in now and then.
All the best intentions in the world are worth less than a tub of hair dye if the music isn’t all there, and it’s a pleasure to report that the aural assault of their live show has been captured well enough to finally do the band justice. Long-standing classics like ‘Apathy Beings At Home’ and ‘Piggy in the Middle’ have never sounded better, with a rich production that brings out the Boom’s various influences. From a Skunk Anansie vibe on ‘For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge’ to the familiar ska swirls of ‘Northern Skies’, it’s immediately clear that SB6 have started to grow into the band they always threatened to be. What other mob has the chutzpah to close their first full-length release with a seven-minute classic-to-be (the gorgeously understated ‘When The Sunlight Comes’, at once brilliantly epic and touchingly intimate) and give it such a contentious, downright brave title?
As at home with a Streets sample as they are with a Refused-esque riff, SB6 are at the forefront of the next wave of British music. While they have always worn their influences on their collective sleeve, ‘The Ruff Guide to Genre Terrorism’ signals their first steps into the big leagues, as it is one of the most powerfully intelligent albums in recent years, while demonstrating their crucial ability to entertain as much as inform. Thrilling, inspiring and, of course, utterly exciting.
www.sonicboomsix.co.uk
Deck Cheese Records
Ben