If there was such a thing as a 2026 Punk Championship, The Meffs would be contenders for the heavyweight title… or gold medal, or trophy in the shape of John Lydon. It’s only been four years since they crashed onto the scene, and the diminutive duo are only growing stronger and more ferocious with each release. If you want your punk so raw that it’s still bleeding, and somehow you’ve missed The Meffs on their tours with, well, anyone who’s anyone in the punk sphere, then firstly, where have you been? And, more importantly, now’s your time to dive into the short, sharp world of a new Meffs record. ‘Business’ sees them at their most uncompromising and brutal, stripped back and ready to give the boot to anyone in their way…even if it’s themselves.
This is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it album, continuing the proud tradition since the seventies of punk songs like molotov cocktails: one shot, then leave time for the burning impact to come later. What’s un-traditional about ‘Business’ though is a determination to kick out any weariness or malaise at the state of the world. The enemy that needs to be railed against isn’t only the system or the elites, it’s our own malaise. “The world needs sorting again” sneers Lily Hopkins on ‘What A Nightmare’, all cynicism at still needing to call the masses into action for the millionth time. We’re all “born to live”, as she shouts on ‘Where Did It All Go Wrong?”, and this is the record to knock our heads together, to give us a good shaking and get us back into action. If ‘Disorder (Wake Up)’ doesn’t inject you with a shot of class consciousness, you might be DOA already, because the Meffs sound is enough to inspire anyone to arise from a political stupor.
If anything, the only mis-step is the title track. ‘Business’ is also flying the flag of a proud tradition of songs about how crap the music industry is. What elevates this above similar rants about how rotten life onstage can be is how incredibly chantable this song is, and the mental image of an entire crowd screaming the chorus back makes you think that The Meffs just might be able to win their fight against the systems keeping them down. At least, if we’re judging by ‘Law’, which skirts the line between inciting a revolution and viciously criticising those who abuse their platform, we know they’re armed with massive choruses and a fiery will to succeed.
Perhaps the main way The Meffs have evolved is by secretly creating a record which is far more personal and vulnerable under all its distorted bravado. ‘Love To Lose’ scorches with nihilistic adrenaline, and the distraught scream that splits ‘So Modern (Keep Up)’ feels like it could have come from any of us when we experience that terrible dysphoria of realising you have a thousand friends on Facebook and you’ve spent all your money on vintage boots, but you’ve got nothing to show for it. It’s the relatable wail of wanting to break out of the box you’ve locked yourself in. The Meffs speak to all punks, whether you’re keeping your music life under wraps or not, and that’s what makes ‘Business’ such a special record. The partner to ‘So Modern (Keep Up)’, ‘God Complex’ takes aim at those who’ve left their ideals behind, challenging us to do better and break free of our own ennui to put our values into action. The whole record is a call to arms against ourselves.
Punk’s not dead, as long as we’ve got The Meffs ready to kick us into action. ‘Business’ is a necessary step on their journey to triumph against anyone or anything in their way, and a record that’ll shake your soul and blast your ears in the best possible way.
Kate Allvey