10 Near Perfect Punk Rock Albums
9. This Time Next Year - Kid Kapichi (2021)
Punk hasn't sounded this good in years. The four band mates from Hastings have delivered one of the more viciously enthralling rock album of the last decade. You have riffs that rival Queens of the Stone Age, but with all the drive of Royal Blood. They have the punchy energy of IDLES, with lyrics, equally as resonant.
The themes of working class struggle are at the forefront of this record. "All Work And No Play" is the sentiment of Working Man's Town. With the recent hikes in living costs and a stagnation in wages, lines like "Prices go up, wages go down" and "They put up their wages. And we take all the cuts" have never been more relevant. But the sentiment isn't entirely disheartening. The message is one of unity, and stoic defiance against the oppressors.
These guys have picked themselves up by the bootstraps, making things happen despite their tough start in life. For all that, that's not what they're preaching. Despite their ability to battle against the odds, they recognise they are the exception to the rule, calling for equal wages, equal opportunities and an end to nepotism.
With a debut full of this much energy and raw talent there isn't much to fault.