Brigadé Junk - Greasing the Palms of Angels

 

Brigadé Junk don't hide their feelings in this cut-and-dry debut EP, touching on subjects such as politics, snowflakes and religion in a way that rejects societal norms. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of these kinds of songs unless they're being played live and everyone's joining in, in a rowdy 'we agree' kind of way (I can imagine the la la las in Realpolitik Blues go down well a storm with a crowd). However, there are some moments on this EP that catch my attention, primarily because they remind me of sounds created in the late 20th century. There are so many songs and artists that come to mind as I'm listening, including The Jam, The Clash and even the vocals of Paul Heaton. Self confessed 'post-modern has-beens', this band are comprised of three guys who came together to pay homage to bands they have enjoyed over the years, without professing to offer anything new (we ain't reinventing the wheel, they say) but rather taking their influences and regurgitating them into something that sounds familiar and could easily be slotted into a beatnik playlist without anyone batting an eyelid. They've done exactly what they set out to do. Well played!