LATTE+ – ‘No More Than Three Chords’ – US Release.
(Editor’s Note – Italy’s LATTE+ have been slogging it out on the European Punk circuit since 1997 with their blend of classic Ramones-Punk with a twist of 90’s Pop-Punk to top it off. This release however has been re-released on US record label ‘OUTLOUD! Records’ in order to spread the power of their Italian three chords to a whole other continent. – MS.)
It’s scientifically proven that our brains automatically associate different sensory perceptions. Your mind catalogues sounds, smells and sights to correlate with memories and emotions. It is very seldom that I get this reaction from a new band, but within the first two minutes of this record I could smell teenage sweat, a fresh pair of Converse, and teenage bad decisions.
For the kids, it’s a hailing of current angst and disgust in the corrupt system that surrounds them. For me, its Pop-Punk for a soda soul, I spent my own teenage years playing Pop-Punk at basement shows, drunk and stoned, just trying to find some peace of mind and have fun with my friends.
LATTE+ shocked me with their ferocious energy, yet simplistic approach. Hailing from Empoli in Italy, this band redefines to me what Euro-Punk can be. In the aptly named No More Than Three Chords this fabulous group takes us back to the basics of Ramones and The Stooges plus turn of the century American Pop-Punk groups, while maintaining a style that is totally their own.
\\No More Than Three Chords//
With insanely tight drums and changes, well placed hooks, and perfectly melodic vocals, they make my inner 13 year old wanna ride my skateboard and play my guitar till my fingers bleed. The record opens up with the title track and with it my feet are tapping.
Vocalist Chicco belts his exonerating theme of ‘No More Than Three Chords’, which dares itself to impress with energy and message rather than technicality. It’s a catchy little ditty reminiscent of early Ramones and it doesn’t need to be anything else as it’s a fitting introduction to the album.
The first few songs have the same feel, it sounds like Classic Punk with a little pop flair, by midway through the record it really starts to pick up with ‘I Wanna Be Like Steve McQueen’. This Motorhead-esque number rocks from beginning to end. I can almost smell a bunch of sweaty punks in a wild pit brawling and screaming with delight. It also sounds a lot like The Living End, which is definitely a good thing!
Being a former ‘Teenage Schizoid’, I felt like I could already identify with this one on first listen. It starts with this creepy carnival music that stops abruptly to be replaced with some good old-fashioned Punk-Rock attitude. It definitely has a vintage Green Day feel without being a rip-off.
Overall while this band is somewhat derivative, they create a casserole of some of the best leftovers of 70’s and 90’s Punk that still manages to sound unique, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love casserole night?!
The album has a great flow to it, like Green Days Dookie or MxPx’s Life in General. Its one of those CD’s you can leave in your car stereo and drive to for weeks! The most intuitive thought that occurred to me while listening, was the influence that American Punk-Rock had such a heavy effect on their sound, as it’s cool to see music travel over seas, bouncing back and forth between cultures.
Think of the transformation of Blues and Rock n’ Roll from America into Skiffle and Psychedelic Rock in England in the 60’s. Music doesn’t have borders, and its great to see the way Punk has grown and changed, while sticking to its roots. Now I’m gonna play Tony Hawk for a long time while I’m still feeling nostalgic.
Find the band below:
- For updates head to Facebook.
- For more information, merch and the band’s back catalogue, head to their Official Website.
- For this release, Click Here, to gulp down this double-Punk Latte over on bandcamp.
- Don’t forget to check out the band’s US label, OUTLOUD! Records on Facebook and bandcamp.
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