Artist: Fleckt Pets

Album: War Cry

Label: Moon Skull Records

Released: 26th February 2016

 

A second EP from Fleckt Pets is filled with the kind of songs that will make you want to stand on your desk during the math test and dance. It’s eccentric, dark and political– garage punk at its best. As the band suggests on its page, it would probably be enjoyed better live.

The first song on EP “Where’s The HTP?” starts off sort of quiet, as if preparing us for the imprudence to follow on the rest of the album. Next is “Slow Me Down.” I can only guess about what the vocalist Tom Barber is talking. Is he talking about the next draconian legislation by the Tories or an ex-partner? Or just a slippery floor that slows him down when he walks? You have the whole 2.39 minutes to think about it.

The next song, “War Cry,” is the title track and undoubtedly the best one on their EP. There’s even a video for it. With lyrics about tyrants and death, this song definitely has an eerie atmosphere. It’s so catchy that I found myself humming it after watching the video. I can also see this song being a hit at their gigs with everyone putting their fists up and singing along. The video is black and white images of a war punctuated with footage of the Fleckt Pets performing this song live on stage. I am guessing the war that is being shown is World War II because it shows recordings of mushroom clouds, which are probably Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the Fleckt Pets footage, you can see the vocalist in a leopard print top hat and angrily walking around the stage. Fleckt Pets like to dress up live and treat its crowd with a fantastic stage performance. An angry sound combined with terrifying images from World War II definitely makes this video a powerful piece of art.

One of the last songs is called “English Dancing Ladies.” English… Dancing… Ladies… EDL. I think they are singing about the EDL. Given the political essence of the album, it is plausible. I think I just heard the line, “EDL is shit.” Thumbs up! The album finishes with a Rudimentary Peni-esque “Roach.” Tom Barber’s vocals really remind me of Nick Blinko’s vocals—very emotional and heart piercing with a hint of insanity.

Fleckt Pets new EP released 26 February 2016 on Moon Skull Records.

By Alisa