Beach Slang – A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
*Guest Editor Pick
Philadelphia’s heart punching, crowd pleasing punk rockers Beach Slang unveil “Punks in A Disco Bar”, taken from their second record ‘A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings’.
Apart from the likes of Placebo, The Smiths and Fat White Family, hardly any other groups have really gripped me like Beach Slang have. Only hearing about them in January, I’m amazed at the levels of passion and pain put into this project. Their already stacked back catalogue takes up about 60% of the music I’ve been listening to this year, that’s a lot of fucking time committed to around 20 odd songs. Despite my love for them, I can understand people wincing at my apparent hyperbolic language but I can honestly say when they unveiled this new song, I almost shat myself.
“Punks in A Disco Bar” is strongly reminiscent of The Replacements, in particular tracks like “Left of The Dial” and “Bastards of Young”. I’m not gonna lie, I’m not that well versed in The Replacements so please forgive me for the seemingly obvious connections. But knowing James Alex is heavily influenced by groups in that vein, I could sort of see this sound coming. Going off this track, the album may have a denser sound, maybe abit darker in spots. Not seedy, just less *bursting out the sun in a multi-coloured supernova,* and more, *puddles being squashed in the rain sort of triumph*.
I’ve only seen them three times, once in Liverpool and twice in Manchester, but all three outings are definitely the best three gigs I’ve seen this year. The way they manage to grip the audience is incredible. Forget looking cool, forget playing in a half-arsed fashion, James Alex, Ruben Gallego, Ed McNulty and JP Flexner (who sadly is no longer in the group) play their fucking arses off, wearing their hearts firmly on their sleeves, expecting absolutely nothing in return; that’s what makes a good live band. You see these new bands acting all too cool for school and it’s like, where’s your passion and fire knobhead?
Set for release on 23rd September, the band’s highly anticipated new album has made me very nervous indeed. If it’s as powerful and heart wrenching as their debut, ‘The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us’ (2015), then Beach Slang will secure their spot on my all-time leader boards. However, if it fails to rouse me like the first, it’ll probably be the saddest moment of my music listening life so far.
Previous Beach Slang reviews on Silent Radio: LIVE: THE STAR AND GARTER – 21/01/16 / LIVE: THE DEAF INSTITUTE – 12/06/16
Beach Slang Facebook | Twitter | Official
*(Chosen by Silent Radio Guest Editor Connor Ryan: “Musically I love all things distorted and brain melting, I always hope my reviews manifest themselves in this way. However, I’m afraid at times they can come out like wet farts. So, after being given the opportunity to edit for Silent Radio, I want to carve out the most violent and frightening news items Manchester has ever seen.”)
Liverpool born music writer with passion for punk and Everton FC
