Dead Letter Dept are a four-piece Canadian outfit who originally went under the moniker The Stiffs. They’ve been in existence for a number of years and had a number of releases. However, until now, none of those releases have landed on these shores. Thanks to the fine folk at NooNoo Records we are now getting treated to ‘Anthology UK’, a twenty song compilation of Dead Letter Dept‘s best work to date.
Dead Letter Dept are a band that have always had a very strong work ethic, preferring stacks of touring and DIY releases to any easier path to success. This is something that comes across well in their music. Whilst on fist impressions they are just another pop-punk band, a quick delve into their lyrics reveals a more standout side to the group. Strong atheist views, and politics that veer firmly to the left, mark the band out from many of their peers.
So, they have an identity, but all that counts for nought if they don’t have the songs. Luckily, this is a band who knows how to write a catchy song. Think early 90’s pop-punk, with a stronger edge at times, and that will give you a good idea of what these guys sound like. The only problem is that release is pretty much a tale of two eras. The first eight songs were recorded between 2000 and 2002 and are of a very high quality. The second half of the album sees songs from before that period and unfortunately aren’t up to the same standard.
So, from the onset the album grabs you with a superb selection of melodic punk rock, set against some powerful lyrics. The likes of ‘Break Out Of The Mould’ and ‘Go lucky!’ are as good as any pop-punk bands are producing at the minute. However, as mentioned, after the initial eight songs the quality does dip somewhat. Whilst tracks like ‘Inadiquit’ and ‘Better Friend’ are not bad by any means, they appear rather average when set against the first half of the album.
‘Anthology UK’, then, is a fine introduction to the sounds of Dead Letter Dept, and one that really shows the band have improved over time. If the quality had remained constant throughout the album, then this could have been one of the best albums I’d heard for some time. As it is, I would still recommend purchasing it as there are some fine songs on offer. If the band pick up from where their latest material led them, then their next release could be something special.
Mark