Fresh Picks: Captain Trips.
Captain Trips – Fareham, England, United Kingdom.
This Umlaut Records rostered, Fareham-based four-piece are now in the process of releasing a brand-new record and if their 2016 eponymously titled EP is anything to go by, the band’s “south-west Skate Punk” would be foolish to ignore.
MF published a small feature on the label and its bands before Captain Trips came to the fold and you can find that – Here. But enough of that because there are reasons why this short-fast and loud band need your attention and they are thus…
Skate Punk is unequivocally a North-American born genre but that doesn’t mean others haven’t taken up the mantle of melodic, abrasive and up-tempo defiant Punk songs and Captain Trips prove that.
Influence and adoration of bands such as Good Riddance and Pennywise is clear with the instrumentation of such hitting harder as a result of strong English accents. In many ways UK Punk staples The Human Project and Phinius Gage come to mind so with that, you have your revision.
‘Faux News’ is as relevant as it is anthemic while ‘Undividual’ is as witty as it clever. Lyrically the song takes its own angle on the Punk critique of complacency and in this case how we indeed look in the mirror and notice it, but are still unaware of whether it’s natural, unfortunate or forced.
Throughout the the EP the band tease you with sombre and serious tones and melodies as much as they do short and sharp break-downs, in-turn eluding a heavier influence and you both love and hate them for it.
‘Your Call’ slows things down on the whole and with the opening you can’t help but feel a loving cross of Millencolin and a more recent Pennywise but with a UK Punk twist.
Captain Trips only fall down on one aspect of their output and that is simply that, although near-perfect in the field, the is EP is only four tracks in number. That said, the release finishes as strongly as it started but this time on the back of a 90’s orientated up-tempo blast of classic Pop-Punk laced Skate Punk filled with personal frustration, loss and catharsis.
Find the band and label below:
- Social Media/Updates: Facebook.
- Music: SoundCloud, Spotify, bandcamp.
- Umlaut Records: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BigCartel.
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