Strike Twelve are punk rock band from Southern California and this is their full length album containing 14 songs of nineties influenced melodic punk/skate punk and if I must compare it to some other band it would be Pennywise, but more melodic than Pennywise. Vocals are great so melodic and sweet but backing vocal harmonies are superb too, just check out ‘Brother’, one of my personal highlights on this record. There are some reggae influences in that song and they fit perfectly to the song. This is more nineties influenced skate punk with less philosophy yet at the same time technical, fast and having also pure mid tempo punk rock songs, wicked bass solo and this all would be nothing without great musicianship. Other songs I must mention as my highlights would be ‘Not a Phase’, ‘Baseball Bat’, ‘Isn’t the Same’. I listened this album couple of times in a row, so it was really hard for me to stand out some favorite songs because album as a whole is one big hit and it will melt your face off with melodic punk.
Norway is not only land of metal and fjords, but it also has excellent punk rock scene and Mollygogo are from Bergen, Norway. These guys play melodic punk mixed with ska and reggae parts not unlike bands like Mad Caddies, Less Than Jake and similar. Music is fast and up tempo with many not only ska parts but straightforward melodic punk rock faster parts and just makes you move along with it while listening to this fine record. Saxophone only enriches the sound and makes songs already rich with melody and emotion even richer. Main vocals are excellent, just enough deep and melodic not to be too mellow or snotty, I love it, even reminded me a bit of Chuck Robertson of Mad Caddies in couple of songs like for example ‘St.Lucia’, which is one of my personal favorites on this release. Backing vocal and harmonies sung by other guys fit perfectly to the songs and even made goosebumps on my skin couple of times while listening to the album. There are eleven songs on this little beauty. Lyrics are mainly personal but some can be read between the lines like awesome ‘Peace Talks in Beirut’. I also can say that ‘Famous Last Words’, ‘Only Way’ and ‘Marie’ are highlights for me on this album. This is one of better albums I have listened to in last couple of months.
Dead Pollys are no strangers to this webzine and they recently released new record with Too Loud Records. There are 12 songs on this release and the music is energetic, melodic punk rock, mainly fast and with rough edged vocals not typical for this kind of music, thus making this record a bit more original than other bands. But, I can also hear more harsher sound and harder songs, due to line-up change, with band having new drummer and new guitarist in their ranks. Besides melodic punk, I can hear lots of garage punk influence, even 77 style punk rock here and there, maybe it is only me hearing that in their songs. Lyrically the band explores future apocalyptic world where people rather give up than fight and pretty bleak landscapes are described in lyrics but also enabling us to open our eyes and try to fight for our future. I can only imagine how these songs sound nice and harsh live while listening to epic guitar melodies of ’94’ and ‘Two Weeks To Live’, couple of my personal favorites on this record, maybe because these songs could go into more melodic department of things, also ‘Yes, Sir’ is one of the highlights on this record, not accidentally chosen as a single prior to releasing this one. So, if you like your punk rock harsh yet melodic and garage at times, go listen to this one.
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