Rotterdam quartet have a great back catalogue and Dark Thoughts may be their best album yet. It sounds a little, dare I say it, Pop Rock at times, although that would be Rocked up Pop Rock. I hope I don't upset a band noted for being Punk.
They still have their Indie Punk credentials, most notably on Rip It Apart, Take Me Outta Here and Silence. But they are so damn melodic. The album is beautifully produced and arranged and in the days of drenching Indie and Punk in distortion, the instrumental track is sonically perfect.
Songs are built on massive riffs, Guitars at 11 and a rhythm section absolutely locked in, wonderfully so. They are also such catchy affairs that you find yourself singing along whilst shaking your fist furiously. Dark Thoughts is a real album to find release in.
People have compared them to Garbage, but they are far superior. None of the posing and preening, much more about the song and far more accessible. Newcomers may prefer to start with the likes of High All The Time with that cracking Intro Riff or the cranked up New Wave of I Don't Wanna Fight.
But in truth, any of these 11 songs could be embedded. Lone Wolf don't come up for Air and you don't want them to. Any of the 10 songs could be embedded, but I've chosen my 3 faves. Inexcusably loud, but a real gripping listen, this is top notch. It is a long time since I've been to a Punk Festival, but Manchester in April sorely tests me.
You can listen to and buy the download here. You can buy it on Vinyl or CD from the label Stardumb Records in Europe here. In the UK here. In the US here. In Australia here.
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