There is a small proportion of Cornish people looking for a separate identity from the rest of the United Kingdom. At the risk of offending any supporters of modern Cornish nationalism, it’d be great to keep the region in the UK mainly for the purpose of having bands such as Bangers (and of course, Gnarwolves), firmly within our borders. Bangers are a Cornish trio of punk rockers, and their new release, ‘Crazy Fucking Dreams’, is one that explains why they’ve started to gain such an ever-widening following.
This album has been on repeat for the last few days – not just because it’s such a stellar offering, but because it takes a couple of listens to appreciate how well ‘Crazy Fucking Dreams’ comes together. Roo Pescod’s distinctively gruff vocals shine through with some outstanding production, which is backed up effectively by solid melodic guitar work throughout.
‘Blind Hindsight’ manages to kick everything off very well, showing off some endearing and honest song-writing. Particularly the line,“We’re not dead yet, this year could be the best yet” sticks out – Bangers have managed to create fast-paced, energetic punk rock which is evocative and poignant all the same.
Generally, albums seem to suffer from a slump during the middle, but the structure of ‘Crazy Fucking Dreams’ avoids that common problem, with some of the strongest tracks to be found there. ‘Bad Jokes’ starts off somewhat refreshingly slow-paced, but picks up towards the end with an urgency with which the band seem to revel in. Further proof that Bangers are avoiding any formulae comes in the form of ‘A Quite Different Coastline’, which takes on more of a hardcore sound. Perhaps the only downside here is that the tracks which take a minute or two to reach their most energetic will inevitably be overlooked. ‘The Pits’ is one of those tracks which is overshadowed by the shorter, punchier tracks around it.
Bangers have made an album which is dotted with heartfelt, thoughtful song-writing until the very end. Whilst it doesn’t slack, or suffer from a drop in energy, a few songs do seem tame. The Cornish three-piece haven’t stretched themselves too much on this record, but tracks such as ‘Creeping Vermin, I Know You’ and ‘Captains Log’ are just a couple of reasons to thoroughly recommend what is one of the most enjoyable releases of the year.
SAMARTH KANAL