EP REVIEW: SAD BLOOD - 'LEGION OF GLOOM'

I don't know how many times I can say this on Randon's Reviews (or anywhere where I can chat bollocks, for that matter): it is such an exciting time to be in the UK punk scene right now. Whether they're pop-punk-y or grunge-y or alt-rock-y, the multitude of exciting up-and-coming bands stretches far beyond being strictly 'punk' in style or tone.

I would comfortably put SAD BLOOD in the same bracket as some of the spikier-sounding bands of their scene, thanks to their affinity for small DIY tours and house shows, and the fact that they can make a music video simply out of getting drunk and dicking around with puppets (see below for more on that).

Following on from the brief and brilliant debut Ultimate Worrier, the London trio's second EP LEGION OF GLOOM offers another five bursts of bright and breezy power-pop with spells of #relatable emo wistfulness.

You could say that melancholic lyricism is in this band's blood (boom boom). The band have previously spoken to Upset about how Legion Of Gloom soundtracks the process of "trying to create something positive out of something negative", and out of that comes lyrics are honest and humorously self-deprecating (precisely as the band's two EP titles suggest).

As you may have predicted after his sterling job not only on Ultimate Worrier, but also in manning the desk for Milk Teeth, Creeper, Press to MECO, Weatherstate and pretty much any other cool new UK band you can think of, producer Neil Kennedy has done what he does best yet again in preserving the squeaky-clean clarity that hits Sad Blood's anthems home... (Note to self: I really must get him on Bitchin' Brew just so we can chat about how brilliant all of these bands are....)

Legion Of Gloom may be two tracks longer than its predecessor, but oddly little less rhythmic and melodic variation than before. Nevertheless, 'Heavy Petting Zoo' clocks in at just 1:48 and is up there with the best (if fleeting) moments of new British music in 2016. Sad Blood are brimming with potential as a longer body of work surely looms over the coming months.

Throwing you as much jovial charm as it does miffed-out mellowness, Legion Of Gloom is pleasant, inoffensive and, as with most British punk EPs of late, over way too quickly, but infectious enough to loop a few times over. Whether you see them as happy songs for sad people, or sad songs for happy people, be sure to queue this up next to The Hotelier and that certified banger that is the new Moose Blood track for your emo picnic playlists.

TOP TRACKS: 'HEAVY PETTING ZOO'; 'FORMERLY CREATIVE'

RR RATING:

7 / 10

LEGION OF GLOOM IS OUT NOW. STREAM IT ON SOUNDCLOUD BELOW:

Happy people, sad people, drunk people, all people: until next time, peace out.

Danny

WHITE-HOT NOISE: GET YOUR EARS AND HEARTS AROUND CATHARTIC LONDON PUNKS GUILT

Sometimes I feel a little bad that while I'm coming up with so many cool ideas for the blog, I rarely have the time to bring them to fruition. I figured the other day that I don't need to write an essay with every post - much like when you share something on Facebook or Twitter, I kind of want to 'let the music do the talking', for want of a less wanky phrase, and even if I'm not premiering the track on this blog, use the 'White-Hot Noise' handle to share my favourite new sounds.

Here's something I thought I'd share today after it dropped via Noisey yesterday: GUILT are a hot-off-the-press punk band (I'm going all in on the cheesy phrases with this one, aren't I?) from London, and their debut track 'EVERBLUE' is a massive, swaggering, sprawling, shoegazey slice of devastatingly emotional post-hardcore.

Fuelled by a backlog of bad luck and low points in life, this five-piece bristle with punk spite and (as is the case with all of the great noises coming from the punk-shoegaze crossover scene at the moment) agonising catharsis. Then, when you put them in a studio with Neil Kennedy, the guy behind most of the greatest underground UK releases of the last couple of years, you get something extremely promising.

You can stream 'Everblue' on the band's Soundcloud page now, but what you really want to do is click HERE to buy the track - it's just £1, it comes with a wicked B-side and all proceeds are going to the mental health charity CALM - a strong cause to help men step back from the cliff-edge of suicide.

FFO: TITLE FIGHT; GRADER; THRICE'S SLOWER JAMS

Other cool things are coming soon, pinky swear.

Danny

WHITE-HOT NOISE: LIGHTCLIFFE - 'NOT ME' (TRACK PREMIERE)

Like your pop-punk to punch you right in the feels? Like tender, melancholic verses and sharp, intense choruses? Meet Lightcliffe, they'll be right up your alley.

Fresh out of London, this emo quartet are gearing up to peddle their "sad songs" with the very best of the bunch in 2016. Assembled by former members of grungy-punk outfit Resident (who gigged with the likes of Moose Blood), their debut single, 'Not Me', is a promising way for the four-piece to get the ball rolling.

"This track is our entrance onto the scene," says drummer Ben McDowell, explaining the track's classically emo narrative of "old relationships" and "a lack of confidence". "We didn't want to just start a Facebook page and demand people to pay for music they have never heard."

"There's lots more in the pipeline," Ben anticipates for the year ahead. "We have another track ready to go [and] we're booking some shows for March and April - it's shaping up nicely."

The track is now available to purchase on the band's Bandcamp page for just 50p (that's less than a Kinder Bueno is these days), but because Blogger is a douchecanoe and wouldn't let me embed a stream of the track from Bandcamp, you can stream it via the band's Soundcloud page below:

Be sure to also like the band on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to stay up-to-date with what they'll be up to in the coming months...

Do you think that your band has a white-hot noise that deserves to be heard? Show me whatcha got: randonsreviews@gmail.com

Danny