So I only chanced across Southcott because they had this album up for streaming at purevolume and even then I’d never heard of them before, let alone heard a track. However, if you’re ever faced with a similar situation, make sure you do what I did and listen – because there’s a very good chance you may just find your new favourite band. While Southcott don’t break new boundaries, their Midtown-mets-June mix is refreshing, choc-full of singalong hooks and verses bigger than a 70-stone man who’s so fat he has to be winched out of his house. Oh yes.
‘Flee The Scene’ is full of winners. Every song has a clever hook or singalong chorus that will bury itself deep inside your cranium and refuse to budge. The guitars soar during ‘Where the Tabloids Won’t Find Us’, so the vocals can rise above everything, creating the kind of melodic melting pot that Midtown trademarked during their Drive Thru years. To dispell any preconceptions that Southcott are a one trick pony, they follow this up with a volley of sensational singalongs – ‘Sin City: Your Bed Sheets, My Legacy’ and ‘Red Lights and Rooftops’ sound great, with the latter even touching on Audio Karate territory.
‘Lifeboats For High Hopes’ has harmonies that make me go weak at the knees. Earmark this chorus and file it under ‘special’. Sure, there are plenty of borrowed moments and guitar riffs that sound oddly familiar, but there are very few bands that I find out of the blue that hook me in so fast. I’ve actually purchased a lot of Cds recently, but this continues to fight its way to the top of the pile. And with songs such as ‘Post March Third’ blasting from your speakers, ‘Flee The Scene’ ranks just short of records released by bands like Valencia and Cartel last year. If you’re a fan of either of those bands, then I urge you to check out Southcott.
I can’t put it simply enough – if you like your pop more than your punk in pop-punk, Southcott are your new favourite band. Lap it up before your best mate tells you they’re the next big thing…
www.southcottrocks.com
Rust Records
paul