Friday Boys - Depressed Gang

 

Austin Texas Trio Friday Boys describe themselves as Art Punk and with a band name such as theirs, you might expect the emphasis to be on the latter word. But the Punk here is minimal and the Indie vibe is far more prominent.

If anything they remind me 0f the last few years of the 70s UK Scene. Very noisy Guitar New Wave at times, but there are visits to Power Pop and Post Punk. They fashion up some great riffs and equally can shake the foundations. Great melody, but also inventive diversions into feedback and fuzz.

If this is Punk in anyway then I certainly love it. But the opening two songs are prime Power Pop, particularly the glorious title track. Down Here (Blame California) has big hints of early Jam, it is very UK New Wave 1978 and I'm old enough to remember such.

Dewey Corn has a feel of early XTC without Barry Andrews and a chorus that could be Kaiser Chiefs. Yet We Were First is great melodic Post Punk with a street vibe and this time Barry Andrews might be present on the organ.

I Saw Jesus Christ starts all American Graffiti but turns into a real shouty aggressive affair and yet there is also the chilled storytelling relaxed The Debt I'm In which just reveals the variety on show. At times the song is quite a bit C86. Loads to like here and something different to all those chiming chords.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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