Givng Your Worries The Middle Finger
At a time when money worries seem to be topping everyone’s agenda, it’s nice to discover your favourite bands haven’t forgotten their fans, and in the case of Southern California’s Bullet’s And Octane, they are only to happy to give us a helping hand. With two albums set for release outside of the USA for the first time, many acts would have seen the money signs registering immediately; double the income in one swoop. But not Bullets And Octane. Instead of squeezing the last penny out of the music fan, the quintet have instead released a double album containing 2007’s ‘Song For The Underdog’ along with 2009’s ‘Bullets And Octane’; double the gutter rock punk with change to spare, you can’t go wrong.
Back in 2007 Bullets And Octane had just left their first major label, having felt discontent with the label’s promotion and support. The Southern Californian’s had then returned to the indie label to produce ‘Song For The Underdog’, a collection of DIY tracks that bristled with euphoric energy and renewed optimism that still radiates today.
From the biting guitars that jut amongst humour packed lyrics to the deliciously contagious hooks that snare with pop punch, ‘Song For The Underdog’ is a remarkable chunk of sleaze addled punk rock that insists fists are pumping in the air, from the chant led entrance of 'Breakout' through to the pounding, incessantly eager beats of 'Welcome To Our Holiday'. Happy go lucky, ‘Song For The Underdog’ tells the story of the average Joe, sprinkling a dose of cheer through the downtrodden aspects of life until you realise that things might be bad, but there’s still a glimmer a hope and fun to be had. That said, Bullets still manage to show their sentimentally with the ballad-esque, ‘City Of Angels’ tenderly playing with your heart strings, proving that these hard rockers still know how to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Fast forward two years and the second album of this double bill, ‘Bullets And Octane’ brings us up to date with the five piece. Things get off at break neck speed as Gene Louis spits and snarls his way through ‘Never Going Down’ signalling that the band haven’t lost any of their bite or venom as they unleash yet another barrage of infectious beats moulded to blazing riffs that rage with glee. ‘I’m Alive’ ups the ante further still, with soaring power riffs that explode alongside Louis’ rough yet irresistibly appealing vocals, again offering the softer side of the band before the sleaze drenched ‘Under My Thumb’ struts confidently by, complete with a blast of “na na nas” to get permanently lodged in your head.
For those yet to embrace Bullets And Octane, there has never been a better starting point than with ‘Laughing In The Face Of Failure’. Brimming with fun filled lyrics and bolstered with a bouncing sense of resilient euphoria, this is a collection of songs that happily gives the middle finger to all worries, encouraging you to do like wise as the Southern Californian’s take away the strain, punching it into submission at least for as long as the double album spins.