If you are already familiar with Milk Teeth, then you will know exactly what the band are about and the aesthetic of these young UK punks. Their sound draws heavily on influence from 90’s grunge and alt-rock, with a strong punk sensibility about it, and over the course of the last two years their profile has been steadily rising. They burst out with the noisy ‘Smiling Politely’, and since then have featured on tours with Balance and Composure, Seahaven, Nothing, and Moose Blood, with their visceral live show capturing the hearts of many. The experience they have gained has led to where they are now with their new EP ‘Sad Sack’, that sees them elevate their sound to new highs by sounding bigger, bolder, and perfectly executed with the utmost conviction.
Anyone who has been present at one of the bands shows will already know opener ‘Vitamins’, which was released last year as a single via Venn Records, but this time has seen the remastering treatment to give the song a new breath of life. Not that it wasn’t catchy enough already, but the saccharine sweet melodies which give way to the chaotic ending feel more refined, which is a common theme for ‘Sad Sack’. The use of the dual male/female vocal between Becky Blomfield and Josh Bannister have been utilised perfectly this time around, particularly on ‘Melon Blade’ which has more emphasis on Becky’s vocals for the lions share of the song, and wouldn’t have been out of place on a Hole album. For a band that are young in years, their song-writing and structuring could overshadow some of their peers and they shine on ‘Linda’, with slow burning verses into its razor-sharp chorus.
The best aspect of Milk Teeth is their ability to combine elements of pop and cacophony without ever upsetting the ebb and flow of ‘Sad Sack’. Even at their most boisterous on ‘Bagels’ with Bannister’s larynx-shredding growl at the forefront it never feels like they are over stepping the mark. There is no comfort-zone either on ‘Sad Sack’, as it is unpredictable throughout. When you think you have sussed out what you are hearing you get the unexpected, as demonstrated with the rock n roll swagger of ‘No Fun’ which segues into the closing opus ‘Trampoline’ where the quiet sections are almost fragile, and the loud passages blistering.
Above all, this record shows the band at a coming of age period in their journey, and are more than just another nostalgic rock band. Sure there are elements of all your favourite 90’s bands in there, and those who are old enough to remember grunge the first time, when MTV played music videos, and that it was cooler to tie a plaid shirt around your waist than actually ever wear it will get a warm feeling as the memories of youth come flooding back. However rather than being stuck in the past, Milk Teeth are making punk rock for the next generation. Grunge definitely isn’t dead.
GLEN BUSHELL