You know that feeling of dread you get when a new band crops up and you can tell that, despite their desperate attempts to start a musical revolution from various pubs in their local area, they’re just never going to make it? Well that might be the feeling you get when you first notice Lithium State, who only started playing together at the end of 2011. Thankfully, the debut EP from the Lancashire punk-rockers shows promise and makes an admirable attempt at blowing all preconceptions out of the water.
‘Can’t Get Enough’ opens the EP with shouting vocals and energetic guitars, reminiscent of Green Day in the Warning era. The mandatory “woah-ohs” are in there too, making it hard to resist singing along. The opening drums of ‘Hostile Therapy’ give the song an old-school quality, as though it wouldn’t be out of place performed in the 70s. Although the song sounds a little rushed at times, particularly around the chorus when it’s difficult to determine exactly what lead singer Adam is trying to say, his northern accent is pretty charming. The melodic vocals contrast well with the hurried instruments, creating a textbook punk song that’s a surefire head-nodder.
The influence of late 90s punk rock returns in the bass intro of ‘Here’s To Friday Night’, a suitable anthem for 9-to-5-ers everywhere, yet probably the weakest track of the four. ‘Doing OK’ ends the EP with a massive injection of nostalgia, lyrically combining the monotony and boredom of everyday life with the ever-important items in the punk rock toolkit – lifesaving friends and summer days. The song has an irresistible riff too that might well be the best part of all four tracks.
Just over fifteen minutes in length, ‘Lithium State’ gave the ‘Can’t Get Enough’ EP little room for error and, thankfully, there wasn’t much. Aside from a few clichés that fail to make the band stand out from the crowd the record is enjoyable enough and, if you need a contemporary dose of old-school punk rock, the driving drums and frenetic bass of the northern foursome might be just what you’re after.
KATHRYN BLACK