Reviews

Open Up and Bleed

Hard Action Yours Truly / Walk Away 7″

Hard, moustachioed, denim jacket with enamel pins all-dude action, to give these Finns their full title. Their Hot Wired Beat LP was some pretty solid garage-rock-that-emphasised-the-rock stuff, but on the basis of this latest two-song job I feel HARD ACTION is a proverbial singles band—that, or these songs are just better. “Yours Truly” has its introductory protopunk chug usurped by a struttin’ THIN LIZZY-esque riff and wistful, vaguely heartland rock-y vox; “Walk Away” increases the tempo a shade, reserving its rawk leanings for the chorus. SHEER MAG’s first album and TV CRIME’s first singles are decent contemporary markers for this pair of fist-pumpers.

Tiikeri Punk Rock Pamaus​!​!​! LP

“Let’s punk!” says TIIKERI right at the beginning of their full-length record. They play rudimental but very melodic punk rock—not even distorted guitars, at a moderate tempo and with rather entertaining vocals. It’s not the punk mostly I listen to, but this is very punk punk punk. They are from Finland and sing in Finnish, and the language pairs incredibly well with this sort of stripped-down music; it gives a strange aura to the songs. Their music is much more international visceral rock’n’roll that has a lot of power even when it’s not blasting on level eleven. This could be great mixtape music. The simplicity and gimmickless image makes them otherworldly, timeless, and unjudgeable. Therefore, even if you are not that familiar with this subgenre, you can be entertained by this record. Most likely it’s the type of music that has to click with you to really, really like it, but its quality is clear even on the first listen. If you like dumbed-down but super melodic music that is driven by rock’n’roll essence yet it’s punk in a universal and textbook way, then TIIKERI is your band.

Yleiset Syyt Sininen Hekuma EP

Did you know that despite the increase in both the price of everything and in digital listening, that the 7″ EP is the perfect hardcore punk format? Sometimes I wonder if it’s still true, and then a record like this comes along and reaffirms everything I think I know and live for in a punk record. Six simple and frantic blows in perfect succession, leaning on a tight and confrontational delivery, lacking absolutely nothing. The first track is a nice lesson in drum fills. Limited to 200 copies, so hurry!

Yleiset Syyt Umpikujamekanismi EP

Finland’s YLEISET SYYT (“common causes”) plays a timeless type of punk akin to early BLACK FLAG paired with intelligent and poetic lyrics, as revealed to me by the ol’ Google Translate feature. It’s all good rockin’, covered with statements like “Painful things happen in the backyard of the creative middle class,” but also enjoyable with complete ignorance of its thoughtful messaging.