By Christian Stanger
“Soft Play more like soft c*nts!” screams frontman Isaac Holman midway through ‘Punk’s Dead’, the band’s intense, driving comeback single after a name-change that drew criticism and accusations that they’d caved to “wokeness”. Formerly known as ‘Slaves’ (which was obviously problematic), the punk duo took the risky step after carving out their own niche in the punk scene over more than a decade with heavy-hitting tracks and raucous live shows.
Six years is a long time between drinks, especially when the first three albums come out in quick succession, but the break hasn’t put a damper on the energy, the viciousness of Laurie Vincent’s guitars and the depth of Holman’s lyrical wordplay. From the singles ‘Punk’s Dead’, ‘Mirror Muscles’ and ‘Act Violently’, it’s clear that the band continues not to take itself too seriously, ‘Bin Juice Disaster’ is exactly what it sounds like, the story of a man paying the price for not taking out the trash – an allegory for the UK election? Probably not, but it’s destined to be a comical classic.
Elsewhere on the record, ‘All Things’ provides a visceral discordant opener, while the English upper class get a dressing down on ‘Working Title’ and ‘The Mushroom and the Swan’ recounts a psychedelic experience. No strangers to mixing genres, ‘Isaac is Typing’ includes elements of British hip hop, while ‘Worms On Tarmac’ sees this in its full fruition as Isaac spits rapid-fire rhymes over the typical template of chaos being created in the back.
‘Everything and Nothing’ is a game-changer though. This band has been through a lot since their inception in 2012, (least of all the aforementioned name change) and both members have had their share of personal challenges. For that, ‘Everything and Nothing’ is a moment of pure catharsis. Isaac maintains the gravel and energy in his voice but there’s more tone there now and the distorted guitar has been replaced with a mandolin and violin combo and the heartbreaking story of the loss of a friend is retold. As a closer to the album, the track provides unexpected respite from the intensity of the preceding bedlam.
12 years since the band’s formation, Heavy Jelly isn’t so much a sign of progress as a reminder that, although the name has changed, the personnel and the music remain unaltered. And we can all be grateful for that! The punk vibes with the odd left-field moment are all present and, above all, it’s heartening to hear the glorious noise these two lads from Kent are still making. Now, it’s been a while, how about an Australian tour?
‘HEAVY JELLY’ will be available on Friday, July 19, via BMG
Pre-Order HERE
