It’s in this latter category that Pass Away fall. What started life as a side project for members of I Am the Avalanche and Crime in Stereo now feels like a fully realised band, creating the kind of cathartic and emotional punk rock will appeal to fans of The Menzingers, The Flatliners or Iron Chic.

‘Thirty Nine’ is the band’s second album and, while their debut was a short and scrappy affair, this time things feel fuller and more considered; the production far cleaner than that of its predecessor.

For the most part, the songs feel more memorable too. Opening acoustic number ‘Chic’s Beach’ is an odd way to kick things off, though it does do a good job of establishing the heartfelt honesty of the lyricism. Second track and lead single ‘Halloween’ does a far better job at establishing the record’s tone; harbouring a similar energy to bands like Gnarwolves, there’s a welcome sense of familiarity, as well self-deprecation, which would have been a far more fitting way to open proceedings.

Elsewhere, ‘Bartender’s Lament’ provides a slice of Menzinger’s style nostalgia and the most memorable chorus on the record. ‘Bushwick’ is another acoustic offering, though this time feeling far more fitting than the aforementioned opener. Coming at the half-way point it provides some brief respite from the record’s driving punk rock, if not from its angst.

‘Coffin Hands’ and ‘Brooklyn Psychotherapy’ round things off in perfect fashion and are definite highlights. The former a cathartic and rousing number that proves to be the strongest track on the album, the latter a slackery conclusion to the record; the piss and vinegar so often previously masked by inherent self-deprecation now finally erupting in the form of erratic guitars and a snotty vocal delivery.

Packing buckets of promise, ‘Thirty Nine’ is the sound of a band coming into their own, yet it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. While the album highlights are excellent, there are too many moments that feel like filler in comparison. That said, it’s by no means a bad record either. What it is, is an album of plaid shirt punk rock for the craft beer generation. And if, like me, that ticks your boxes, you could do far worse than spending some time with it.

DAVE BEECH

The dates will be in support of their third album ‘You Can’t Stay Here’, which was released last year on SideOneDummy Records.

You can check out the details for these dates as well as their previously announced other UK appearances below.

APRIL
17 BRIGHTON The Haunt
19 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club w/ Spoilers
20 GLASGOW Saint Luke’s* w/ Petrol Girls + Bratakus
21 MANCHESTER Manchester Punk Festival*
22 BRISTOL SWX* w/ Jesus & His Judgemental Father
23 LONDON The Lexington w/ Mobina Galore

* w/ Propagandhi

It is the title track from their second album, which was released last year on Specialist Subject Records.

The band will also be playing the following UK shows.

JANUARY
18 LEEDS Wharf Chambers* w/ Eat Defeat
19 LIVERPOOL Craft Tap Room* w/ Good Grief + Snakes Everywhere
20 GLASGOW The Flying Duck* w/ Marble Gods + Anna Secret Poet
21 BIRMINGHAM Hare & Hounds* + Haq123
FEBRUARY
10 NOTTINGHAM No More Valentines, Chameleon Arts Centre
APRIL
01 SHEFFIELD Broomhall Community Centre w/ Kinky
22 BRISTOL SWX w/ Propagandhi + Iron Chic
JUNE
08 BRADFORD The 1 in 12 Club w/ Fear Insight, Luddite Collective + Bogans

* w/ Schande

The Copyrights, The Restarts, The Spook School, The Baby Seals, Revenge of the Psychotronic Man, Holiday, Hoof, Start at Zero, No Matter, Speedozer, Ducking Punches, Casual Nausea, Tellison, Lucinda Livingstone and Millie Manders will join the likes of Propagandhi, Iron Chic, Lightyear, and more at the Manchester based festival from the 19th to the 21st April 2018. More acts shall be added soon.

The event will take place across various Manchester venues including Gorilla, Rebellion, The Bread Shed, Zombie Shack, Underdog, Font and The Thirsty Scholar. Advance tickets cost £40 and can be purchased here. Keep a tab on their Facebook for future updates.

In October the band released their third album ‘You Can’t Stay Here’ via SideOneDummy Records.

As for Propagandhi, their latest album is their seventh ‘Victory Lap’, which was released in September via Epitaph Records.

APRIL 2018
20 GLASGOW Saint Luke’s w/ Petrol Girls + Bratakus
21 MANCHESTER Manchester Punk Festival
22 BRISTOL SWX w/ Jesus & His Judgemental Father

Iron Chic, Lightyear, Waterweed, Dead Neck, Captain Trips, Brassick, Apologies, I Have None, Bobby Funk, Wadeye, Crumbs, Eat Defeat, Hot Mass, Goodbye Blue Monday, The Raging Nathans, Enda McCallan, Carl Moorcraft, and Tim Loud will join the likes of Propagandhi, Wonk Unit, The Bennies and more at the Manchester based festival from the 19th to the 21st April 2018. More acts shall be added soon.

The event will take place across various Manchester venues including Gorilla, Rebellion, The Bread Shed, Zombie Shack, Underdog, Font and The Thirsty Scholar. Advance tickets cost £40 and can be purchased here. Keep a tab on their Facebook for future updates.

Awesome Fest is of intentionally limited scale and is aimed at showcasing the diversity, intensity and beauty of DIY punk music. The organizers’ goal is to provide a safe, intimate venue to watch awesome bands, discover new music and to hang out with friends from all over the US and the world.

Bands announced today include Adult Magic, Allweather, The Bigger Empty, Chagrin, The Chill Dogs, The Chinchees, City Mouse, Civil War Rust, Dead Bars, Dimber, The Dodges, Form Rank, Fuck You Idiot, The Drowns, The Globs, Great Apes, The Hammerbombs, Horror Squad, Iron Chic, Kid Coast, Kira Jari, The Lucky Eejits, The Mission Creeps, Marriage Material, Muscle Dungeon, Needles//Pins, Night Dangers, Nothington, Odd Robot, The Pretty Flowers, Rad, Sciatic Nerve, Se Vende, Secondaries, Shallow Cuts, The Shell Corporation, Signalman, The Trashies, Tiltwheel, Toy Zoo, Tracy Soto, Turkish Techno, Typesetter, and Western Settings.

Tickets and more information can be found at http://awesomefest11.com/.

The release, entitled ‘Attention: A Punk Rock Feast Compilation’, is a part of the label’s ongoing quarterly charity series for over the next few years. It is available for PWYW download on bandcamp and features tracks from the likes of Iron Chic, Sincere Engineer, Spanish Love Songs, Kamikaze Girls, Such Gold and more.

The Bar Stool Preachers – Trickledown

Having just come off a UK tour with Lightyear, The Bar Stool Preachers are off to Europe with some huge shows with German legend Die Toten Hosen later this month. Trickledown is taken from ‘Blatant Propaganda’, which is out now.

Captain We’re Sinking – Books

‘Books’ is taken from the Scranton, PA punks’ new album, ‘The King Of No Man’, which is out now through Run For Cover Records. Killer melodies galore. You’ll be hooked, I’m sure of it!

Lifetight – Energy

Pure riffs to bang your head to from these Birmingham-based UKHC newcomers. Having been picked up by Crooked Noise Records, they release their debut ‘SELD-TIGHTLED’ EP this Friday. Expect big things!

Forever Unclean – Dinosaur

These three chaps from Copenhagen have pounded the EU DIY scene since forming in 2015. ‘Dinosaur’ is taken the ‘Float’ EP which was released earlier this year. They’ll be in the UK in April, having been included in the first Manchester Punk Festival announcement. I’m excited!

Iron Chic – Planes, Chest Pains And Automobiles

I couldn’t not include another Iron Chic track from their new album, ‘You Can’t Stay Here’. I’ve been spinning this relentlessly since its release; a perfect concoction of melodic, sing-along punk rock. ‘You Can’t Stay Here’ is out now through Side One Dummy.

Wonk Unit – Kings Road Sporting Heroes

Wonk Unit from London are one of the UK’s finest DIY punk rock bands. Hands down. Currently mid-way through their ‘She-Goose’ Tour, which will see them hit every town in the UK over the next few weeks. ‘Kings Road Sporting Heroes’ is taken from ‘Nervous Racehorse’ – available on vinyl through Plasterer Records.

KidBrother – Moon

‘Moon’ is the new single from London-based quintet, KidBrother. Overlapping clean and dirty vocals, similar to that of Alexisonfire, on a bed of post-hardcore/punk: these guys are ones to keep a close eye on. ‘Moon’ is out now through Say Something Records.

Higher Power – Looking Inward

Leeds has always had a reputation for producing great UKHC bands, and Higher Power are no exception. Catch them on tour all over Europe next month with Every Time I Die and Comeback Kid. ‘Soul Structure’ is out now through Flatspot Records.

The Lillingtons – K6

One of the newest additions to the Fat Wreck roster are Wyoming’s, The Lillingtons. ‘Stella Sapiente’ is the quartet’s first album in eleven years, but it’s been well worth the wait. Fine melodic punk rock.

The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – The Future

‘The Future’ is taken from TWIABPAIANLATD’s ‘Always Foreign’, which is out now through Epitaph Records. This collection of musicians from all over are true masters of stripped back and ambient, yet, up tempo, melodic rock music. There’s a lot of back catalogue to dig in to – you’ll have a great time.

‘A Headache With Pictures’ opens proceedings with that trademark syrupy guitar sound and it’s not long before the poetic, multi-layered gang vocals we’ve come to associate with Iron Chic triumphantly announce their arrival. The band’s sound hasn’t changed all that much since their 2010 debut ‘Not Like This’ but it’s executed with so much honesty and feeling that it’s impossible to hold it against them. Some bands have a particular bit of a particular song that is the ‘big singalong’ moment during an album or live set, but Iron Chic have one in practically every song. Somehow this trait never loses its impact and the likes of ‘Invisible Ink’ and ‘To Shreds, You Say?’ are sure to become live favourites for this very reason.

As mentioned before, the lyrics of this album go to some pretty dark places, which creates an interesting juxtaposition against the upbeat music supporting them. ‘You Can’t Stay Safe’ in particular is extremely bleak, with each of its three verses taking three lines to show an attempt to be more positive, but the fourth line of each exasperatingly knocks the positivity back down. That’s not to say that there aren’t moments of positivity on the record. ‘Profane Geometry’ contains the line “my heart feels heavy but it’s still pounding steady”, which could suggest a new found appreciation for life, despite its challenges.

Iron Chic’s main appeal has always been how relatable they are; not just lyrically, but also in the way they present themselves. They’re just a bunch of everyman types who got together to write songs about things that are important to them. There’s no pretence or image or choreography, just great songwriting and tangible honesty. If you already didn’t like Iron Chic then ‘You Can’t Stay Here’ is unlikely to be enough of a departure to change your mind, but fans of their stripped-back and heartfelt approach to punk rock will find plenty to love about it.

LIAM KNOWLES