The Benedicks
We were recently contacted by 3 piece punk revival band The Benedicks, from Northern Conneticut over in the US, to let us know about their first release, The Dumb EP. Released on the 20th of April 2012 (4/20 AND my Birthday….presents next year please…), the band have already begun building a name for themselves out on the road, touching on all forms of punk rock and sharing the stage with the likes of Klokwize, The Damn Broads and Mandrake Mechanism. I figured that since they’d gotten in touch, I’d better see what was on offer from their music!
Opening with Sharp Tool we get off to a punk fuelled up beat melee of guitar lines and pounding drums before urgent and roaring vocals are added to the mix, immediately grabbing your attention and pulling you into the mix. There’s an immediate kick in the face here to remind you that punk’s not dead, and there are still bands out there who are still producing this upbeat and raw approach to music. The same sort of vibe continues through Brains (see the video below), as we’re shown off the other side of punk rock and ska. Upbeat and light hearted, this is perfect music for a sunny afternoon, the sort of thing which makes times good and beers drunk! Sounding akin to the likes of early Goldfinger and to an extent, the sort of thing Rancid moved towards at times, the sound here is surprisingly accomplished for a debut EP and shows that these guys know how to make the music they love playing.
This Is The Crime returns us to the more urgent side of punk once again, crafting a track which is going to get people moving and venues pumping from the off. Fast paced and urgent throughout, the guitar work here seems to weave itself around the backing drum and bass line before joining with the vocals to form the over all mix, it’s a fully fledged punk assault and it sounds damned good! What I really like about the style of music they’ve gone for here is that they’re not afraid to move in different directions throughout the EP, something that I Don’t Wanna Live My Life In College pays testament to further. Throwing into a more conventional punk rock style track which is going to get people jumping and singing along, this is a track which shows that these guys understand their audience and how to keep them happy. Personally, this was one of my favourite tracks off of the EP as simply, it’s the sort of thing which is going to bring about some good times, get the venue pumping and leave you wanting more!
Closing with Red Eyes we’re presented with one final demonstration of the bands punk roots, showing that when they want to create a hard hitting and fast paced track they’re perfectly capable of doing so. The closing notes of this record are perhaps the most hard hitting, crafting a track which is only just over a minute long yet packing one hell of a punch into it, leaving you with a serious taste for the band and showing that this could be one to try and catch on the live scene.
What I’ve liked about the EP from The Benedicks is how raw it is, it’s like having a band playing in your front room and you’re the sole audience member. This rawness is something which gets lost too often when production takes over and we hear what the producer wants us to hear, rather than what the band wants. Punk isn’t dead, and it’s good to see that there’s bands out there still hammering out quick, fast, raucous tracks designed for maximum impact in the shortest space of time possible – which if you like it, then this EP could well be for you!
To find out more about The Benedicks, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Check out their video to Brains, below.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Sharp Tool we get off to a punk fuelled up beat melee of guitar lines and pounding drums before urgent and roaring vocals are added to the mix, immediately grabbing your attention and pulling you into the mix. There’s an immediate kick in the face here to remind you that punk’s not dead, and there are still bands out there who are still producing this upbeat and raw approach to music. The same sort of vibe continues through Brains (see the video below), as we’re shown off the other side of punk rock and ska. Upbeat and light hearted, this is perfect music for a sunny afternoon, the sort of thing which makes times good and beers drunk! Sounding akin to the likes of early Goldfinger and to an extent, the sort of thing Rancid moved towards at times, the sound here is surprisingly accomplished for a debut EP and shows that these guys know how to make the music they love playing.
This Is The Crime returns us to the more urgent side of punk once again, crafting a track which is going to get people moving and venues pumping from the off. Fast paced and urgent throughout, the guitar work here seems to weave itself around the backing drum and bass line before joining with the vocals to form the over all mix, it’s a fully fledged punk assault and it sounds damned good! What I really like about the style of music they’ve gone for here is that they’re not afraid to move in different directions throughout the EP, something that I Don’t Wanna Live My Life In College pays testament to further. Throwing into a more conventional punk rock style track which is going to get people jumping and singing along, this is a track which shows that these guys understand their audience and how to keep them happy. Personally, this was one of my favourite tracks off of the EP as simply, it’s the sort of thing which is going to bring about some good times, get the venue pumping and leave you wanting more!
Closing with Red Eyes we’re presented with one final demonstration of the bands punk roots, showing that when they want to create a hard hitting and fast paced track they’re perfectly capable of doing so. The closing notes of this record are perhaps the most hard hitting, crafting a track which is only just over a minute long yet packing one hell of a punch into it, leaving you with a serious taste for the band and showing that this could be one to try and catch on the live scene.
What I’ve liked about the EP from The Benedicks is how raw it is, it’s like having a band playing in your front room and you’re the sole audience member. This rawness is something which gets lost too often when production takes over and we hear what the producer wants us to hear, rather than what the band wants. Punk isn’t dead, and it’s good to see that there’s bands out there still hammering out quick, fast, raucous tracks designed for maximum impact in the shortest space of time possible – which if you like it, then this EP could well be for you!
To find out more about The Benedicks, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Check out their video to Brains, below.
Words: Dave Nicholls