UK punkrock veterans Snuff are back with their new record out with Fat Wreck Chords. I listened Snuff in the 90-ies when they were pretty big in this parts where I live, but somehow later lost track of them until I watched their show at Punk Rock Holiday in 2017. They were really fun to watch. The singer/drummer Duncan impressed me a lot with his playing and singing at the same time, although the music of Snuff is not your usual punkrock, they are for me more of an proggressive and avantgarde punk band utilising song structures very different from common songwriting in punkrock and that makes them unique and special. Some like it, some don˙t. The new record contains 12 songs of melody, melancholy, humour and happiness. I love Kings Of The Spanish Oi Scene, Patient Zero and Gyoza somehow being my favorites on this record. But, the rest of the material, with superb atmospheric Job And Knock is your quality prog melodic punk, so go get this new record by the UK veteran punks.
Western Settings from San Diego are back with their second full length album out with A-F Records. I must admit that this band somehow always eluded me and I only listened to them more carefully now when this record came out. The new record contains 11 songs of mid tempo emotional melodic punkrock in the vein of Off With Their Heads or Menzingers, with some indie touches like for example in Better, but what is surely to win you over are straightforward punkrock anthems like the title song or Duckets Is Tight enough to make your day better and bring that smile back on your face. This is smart punkrock, played well, with heart, soul and balls and if you are a fan of such side of punk, be my guest, grab this one, you will not be disappointed.
Remember Seattle˙s Sicko? These guys played an important role in the 90-ies pop punk when pop punk was more punk and less pop, contrary to nowadays. Well, Red Scare Industries released nice compilation of their biggest hits from all era of the band. 19 songs of furious tempo pop punk/melodic punkrock are here for your listening pleasure. I must admit that I never listened to Sicko close when I was a kid in the 90ies but now this records suits me as well as thousands other fans to rediscover this band and their opus again. The hits like Where I Live, Believe, Kathy`s Dance and all the other are sure to win over and re-ignite your old punkrock heart like it is twenty something years ago hehe. Great record!