punk rock / post punk
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With all the overproduced, extensively complex and often electronic music these days, one might almost forget that there's also a wide range of musicians who love to keep it simple. They don't need anything but their guitar to make their statements. If we're speaking about making statemens, the punk rock scene should clearly step to the foreground. Since the seventies punkers have been kicking against the pricks, standing on the barricades and shouting out their anarchy lifestyle everywhere in the world.
Punk indeed never dies. It ages a bit, that's true but it's always nice to hear some uncomplicated songs about everyday observations. Enter Kansas City punk artist Este Leon, the man behind the solo project Braggers. Russian Winter Records released this fine debut and it's a great throwback into the early days of punk, and post-punk for that matter.
The eight songs drive on a mid-tempo drum beat and simple guitars which accompany a rough but strong voice. Most of the songs remind me of old punk icons like Sex Pistols, The Clash or Dead Kennedys but also of post-punk bands like Joy Division, Psychedelic Furs or The Jesus and Mary Chain. Yet, we're not done there. At times Braggers comes close to the darker, experimental scene where projects like Bain Wolfkind roam.
In all their simplicity, songs like 'Brighter Day', 'Better Life' or 'Brand New Day' are excellent songs with a pretty decent live-capacity. Here and there I can imagine an enthusiastic audience singing along with the lyrics and building a party in front or, or why not on, stage. I just might be one of them but more likely I will be shaking my ass somewhere in the back with a strange smile on my face while I observe all these people dancing.
Serge
Punk indeed never dies. It ages a bit, that's true but it's always nice to hear some uncomplicated songs about everyday observations. Enter Kansas City punk artist Este Leon, the man behind the solo project Braggers. Russian Winter Records released this fine debut and it's a great throwback into the early days of punk, and post-punk for that matter.
The eight songs drive on a mid-tempo drum beat and simple guitars which accompany a rough but strong voice. Most of the songs remind me of old punk icons like Sex Pistols, The Clash or Dead Kennedys but also of post-punk bands like Joy Division, Psychedelic Furs or The Jesus and Mary Chain. Yet, we're not done there. At times Braggers comes close to the darker, experimental scene where projects like Bain Wolfkind roam.
In all their simplicity, songs like 'Brighter Day', 'Better Life' or 'Brand New Day' are excellent songs with a pretty decent live-capacity. Here and there I can imagine an enthusiastic audience singing along with the lyrics and building a party in front or, or why not on, stage. I just might be one of them but more likely I will be shaking my ass somewhere in the back with a strange smile on my face while I observe all these people dancing.
Serge