Thanks to the widespread musical restriction and political discord in Australia recently, 2016 found us amidst a raging comeback of punk in our country. Any period of dissonance breeds aggressiveness and discontent, the hyperactive motifs which punk rock thrives upon.
It’s only fitting then that Melbourne-based lo-fi heroes PLEBS are speartackling 2017 with the promise of a vinyl LP release. No exact date is slotted in yet, but fear not – this is one group attacking the year from the get-go, as today they drop a two single teaser of things to come in Give Me Back My Son and Haze.
Antagonistic yet introspective, Give Me Back My Son and Haze from PLEBS are the zealous start to 2017 the punk scene deserves.
At a combined length of five minutes, Give Me Back My Son and Haze advocate the sprinting, vitriolic punk lens of The Pinheads rather than a more booming, melodic take on the genre being throttled by fellow Aussies DEN.
Give Me Back My Son is pure, full-throttle, red-blooded punk rock in it’s delivery; fast, rambunctious and bubbling over with attitude sharp enough to cut diamonds. Aggressive and punctuated with devious energy, it’s the kind of song you’ll happily rip your throat apart singing along to.
A rickety riff and high-energy drumbeat start the track before the vocals tear into the mix, building from there into a driven, garage-y tail end. With a mighty chorus and a ripper progression to match, it’s the sort of track you’ll need to hear through a crackling, overworked and oversized amp for max appreciation.
Haze follows suit with slightly surfier tendencies, a high-end guitar hook permeating verses, drenched in golden, salty reverb. The edge on the vocals is somewhat softened to match, offering up an all-too familiar story of uncertainty, pleading indecisiveness and financial insecurity.
The punk elements are still there, albeit with PLEBS’ lo-fi leanings twisting through the track in a more dominant fashion. A high tempo and screamable chorus will have you sweating along all the same, but this represents a little more of a mosh pit breather for any punters catching their share of PLEBS love.
If you’re buying what PLEBS are selling, keep an ear out for their Adelaide LP due out early this year. With an album on the horizon the fellas’ gig calendar is a little sparse right now, but jump across to their Facebook page to stay up to date.
