A Pretty Mess
Formed in the winter of 2006, LA based A Pretty Mess have been described as ‘a fury of good ole head spinning rock & roll’, offering up their own take on straight up punk rock. Now primed with their second album, Filthy Poor, the band are hungrier than ever, building a loyal army of followers and heading to the shores of the UK for a tour with The Smears, ready to continue to inspire those who see and hear them. Seeing as we were sent through a copy of the album to check out, I cranked up the volume, hit play and prepared myself for what I was about to hear.
Kicking off with Empty Streets things get off to a solid start, launching straight into a fast paced melee of hammering guitars, pounding drums and straight up attitude. As the vocals come in to complete the mix the full force of the track is unleashed, pummelling the listener with punk fuelled rhythms, aggressive melodies and surprisingly catchy hooks. This is music crafted for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s going to get people jumping, moving and going mad from the word go, guaranteeing you a damned good time. Matching this approach further with Despair, the album continues to offer up its hard hitting punk approach with aplomb. Hard hitting vocals combine with the fast paced backing rhythms to offer up more of that distorted and aggressive sound, capturing the essence of punk throughout whilst managing to stamp their own approach firmly upon it. It’s striking how A Pretty Mess have managed to develop their sound, taking the punk approach which, can at times be a little simple, and instead making it their own through the intricacies and developments they’ve thrown onto it, certainly suggesting their UK tour is going to be one to check out.
As Walk Away comes into being we’re shown the more conventional approach from the band, launching us into a more straight up punk track, the sort of thing you’d almost expect to hear on an album like this, yet once again the guys have made it their own. Sounding catchy and hooky at first, the track seems to develop as it progresses, developing from the simplistic approach into a darker, more foreboding sound designed to show off their attitude, approach and intensity. 1692 on the other hand is a whole different beast, launching onwards at full tilt and refusing to hold back until the moment the track comes to a close. Fast paced, full on and packed with distorted attitude, this is a track that doesn’t bugger about, doesn’t faff, just simply hammers out old school straight up punk rock designed to get people moving, people chanting and everyone loving what they’re hearing.
Continuing the album through Bloodstains, Lost City, 2nd & Hill and Tonight We Drown, each track continues to showcase a band who have been working, building and developing their style in a genre which can all too often lose those who get into it. Each track manages to push the boundaries of punk whilst at the same time, keeps a sense of rock music running through it, combining the two genres with aplomb and demonstrating that LA is still a home for straight up, real music. To me though, it’s a serious high point when the bands cover of Kids Of The Black Hole by The Adolescents comes into being, launching the listener into an updated version of a track that’s bound to be familiar. Fast paced, chunky and once again pushing that signature approach of A Pretty Mess, this is a demonstration of a band taking an established track and putting their own standing upon it, sounding damned good throughout and continuing their punk fuelled rampage towards the conclusion of the record.
Concluding the album with Going Nowhere Fast we’re left on one final fast paced hurrah of a track, packed with power, distortion and society based attitude. Raw and aggressive throughout, the final moments here pack a punch, leaving you with one final dose of punk attitude, and safe in the knowledge that real punk is still there, still sounding good, and still pushing the boundaries of music.
All too often when we get punk records in they sound generic and uninspired, but A Pretty Mess have taken the punk sound, made it their bitch and pushed it to a whole new level. From start to finish this is a record which is going to keep you involved, keep you listening, and inspire you to get out to a show – so what the hell are you waiting for? Definitely a band to check out live.
To find out more about A Pretty Mess, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kicking off with Empty Streets things get off to a solid start, launching straight into a fast paced melee of hammering guitars, pounding drums and straight up attitude. As the vocals come in to complete the mix the full force of the track is unleashed, pummelling the listener with punk fuelled rhythms, aggressive melodies and surprisingly catchy hooks. This is music crafted for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s going to get people jumping, moving and going mad from the word go, guaranteeing you a damned good time. Matching this approach further with Despair, the album continues to offer up its hard hitting punk approach with aplomb. Hard hitting vocals combine with the fast paced backing rhythms to offer up more of that distorted and aggressive sound, capturing the essence of punk throughout whilst managing to stamp their own approach firmly upon it. It’s striking how A Pretty Mess have managed to develop their sound, taking the punk approach which, can at times be a little simple, and instead making it their own through the intricacies and developments they’ve thrown onto it, certainly suggesting their UK tour is going to be one to check out.
As Walk Away comes into being we’re shown the more conventional approach from the band, launching us into a more straight up punk track, the sort of thing you’d almost expect to hear on an album like this, yet once again the guys have made it their own. Sounding catchy and hooky at first, the track seems to develop as it progresses, developing from the simplistic approach into a darker, more foreboding sound designed to show off their attitude, approach and intensity. 1692 on the other hand is a whole different beast, launching onwards at full tilt and refusing to hold back until the moment the track comes to a close. Fast paced, full on and packed with distorted attitude, this is a track that doesn’t bugger about, doesn’t faff, just simply hammers out old school straight up punk rock designed to get people moving, people chanting and everyone loving what they’re hearing.
Continuing the album through Bloodstains, Lost City, 2nd & Hill and Tonight We Drown, each track continues to showcase a band who have been working, building and developing their style in a genre which can all too often lose those who get into it. Each track manages to push the boundaries of punk whilst at the same time, keeps a sense of rock music running through it, combining the two genres with aplomb and demonstrating that LA is still a home for straight up, real music. To me though, it’s a serious high point when the bands cover of Kids Of The Black Hole by The Adolescents comes into being, launching the listener into an updated version of a track that’s bound to be familiar. Fast paced, chunky and once again pushing that signature approach of A Pretty Mess, this is a demonstration of a band taking an established track and putting their own standing upon it, sounding damned good throughout and continuing their punk fuelled rampage towards the conclusion of the record.
Concluding the album with Going Nowhere Fast we’re left on one final fast paced hurrah of a track, packed with power, distortion and society based attitude. Raw and aggressive throughout, the final moments here pack a punch, leaving you with one final dose of punk attitude, and safe in the knowledge that real punk is still there, still sounding good, and still pushing the boundaries of music.
All too often when we get punk records in they sound generic and uninspired, but A Pretty Mess have taken the punk sound, made it their bitch and pushed it to a whole new level. From start to finish this is a record which is going to keep you involved, keep you listening, and inspire you to get out to a show – so what the hell are you waiting for? Definitely a band to check out live.
To find out more about A Pretty Mess, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls