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Sign the punkers up!

I admit that I have a soft spot for Street Punk. So when I received this EP from Bristol Punks Criminal Mind I was more than happy to take a listen. Formed in November 2008, the band was originally going to be a covers band playing songs from the bands they loved and admired like The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, Dropkick Murphys, Street Dogs and The Ruts to name but a few, however here we have 5 tracks that draw influences from these bands into original slices of raw Punk rock.

First track, ‘Call For The Boot Boys’ draws on the gritty punk-edge shout out vocals and a rawness that reminds me of early albums from The Descendants. It’s also not surprising that the band are friendly with The Strawberry Blondes as this is the band that I think they sound most like. Also a band that I think is the best Punk band in Blighty at this point in time. Whilst bands like Rancid and The Briggs are great bands they have an almost over-produced and clean sound in comparison with these bands from our side of the pond. ‘Don’t Shoot That Gun’ is a timeless Punk track that could’ve been written in the 1980’s or yesterday, with it’s roots clearly with stripped down Rock’n’Roll there is a nod to The Clash with out following a blueprint.

The sound of the tracks isn’t bad considering the recording was done at singer Josh Read’s house on his 8-track mixer, and it wouldn’t take much more production to perfect this. ‘Social Culture’ is a mix of The Strawberry Blondes and The Dead Pets with a hint of Last Action Zeros thrown in to the 2 minute blast of Street Punk. Now in ‘Hard Addiction’ there is a hint of The New York Dolls and The Toilet Boys with a Glam undertone to the Punk that gives the band something else. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t Poison, or Pretty Boy Floyd, but more Hanoi Rocks in the Bowie-Glam of the 70’s mixed with Hard-Rock.

Last song, ‘Johnny’s Song’ is a Punk Rock Anthem. There is just no other way to describe it. There is a hint of LA youngsters Orange about it, however whereas Orange sound like it’s an act, Criminal Mind sound like they are singing about living everyday life. The songs are filled with a passion that you cannot act out.

All in all this is a great debut for a band still looking for that break. Personally I love this stuff, and Criminal Mind play it well. This is the best unsigned Punk band around today and that’s a fist pumping fact.