The Smears
We’ve recently been sent through a copy of the new album, Dirty Protest, from The Smears, an all girl punk/grunge band that we featured not long ago. Having been writing and recording together for the last 9 years, Dirty Protest is the latest offering, presenting us with 9 new tracks due to be released on April 6th. Based on the tracks Freakshow and Horribly Wrong (featured below) I couldn’t wait to see how this album had come together!
Following the bass heavy rhythms of Freak Show which opens the album, Halloween keeps things moving in much the same way, keeping things upbeat, bass heavy and firmly focused on the distorted side of things! Powerful, melodic and firmly rooted in punk, this is the sort of music which is going to get venues shaking, people joining in and crowds begging for another taste of what they’ve got on offer, it’s a perfect combination of what you’d expect from punk but with enough of The Smears’ unique take on it to keep you wanting more. Prowling Hyenas continues this theme, picking up the pace and launching you into a melee of hammering guitar lines, pounding drums and enough aggression in the vocals to leave anyone a quivering wreck. 3 tracks into this album I think I’m already craving a live dose of these guys, just to see whether they can pack the same punch live!
Rise Of The Liars shows off a slightly more complex side to the band, demonstrating that they’re not just a simplistic punk band but instead, one which can turn their hand to more advanced, syncopated style music. Hammering onwards, there’s a real sense of influence from the likes of The Sex Pistols and other similar old skool punk bands, all mashed together to form this melee which we’re presented with. R&R seems to come as a further demonstration of how well this band can perform as a unit, opting for another hard hitting dose of all out punk combined with harsh vocal lines and a pulsating rhythm section. Hard hitting and unrelenting from the word go, this track stands out as another moment on this album which is going to leave you breathless, gasping for air but knowing that what you’ve gone through has been well worth it! Horribly Wrong (below) only goes to secure this further, once again leaving you wanting more and more at increasingly louder volumes!
So Pretty almost takes us to the world of metal, opening with a SOAD style beat before reverting to the harder approach of the punk side of things. Hammering guitars, spat out vocals, pounding drums and bass heavy enough to shake your ribs to pieces, this is a moment on the album which is going to stand out as one to make sure you check out for sure! Scrape Patrol almost lures you into a sense of safety as it initially follows on, but believe me when I say it doesn’t last. Once again throwing out enough power and distortion to keep even the heaviest fan satisfied, this is another track which is going to kill on the live scene, one which progresses at an insane speed yet somehow manages to allow you to hear every single element of the track as it bombards you from every direction. It’s all a lot to take in as Handcuffs and Powder Puffs comes in to close the album, giving you one last taste of their blend of punk and all out power. Closing on a high, this final hurrah on the album is one which will leave you without a shadow of doubt in your mind that The Smears are here, and are ready to quite simply rock your world.
All too often bands start off with a great sound, then move in a different direction for what ever reason, leaving what made them so appealing at the door so people lose interest – that’s not the case here. The Smears have developed a sound which is quite simply phenomenal, containing all of the power of hard heavy metal, all of the speed and bile of punk, and all o f the melody of general pop music, something which few could achieve. The album you’re left with is one which is going to make you want to hear more, make you fall in love with the band and lust after their music, but most of all, make you once again realise that there are still bands out there producing what can simply be called ‘good shit’.
To find out more about The Smears, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Following the bass heavy rhythms of Freak Show which opens the album, Halloween keeps things moving in much the same way, keeping things upbeat, bass heavy and firmly focused on the distorted side of things! Powerful, melodic and firmly rooted in punk, this is the sort of music which is going to get venues shaking, people joining in and crowds begging for another taste of what they’ve got on offer, it’s a perfect combination of what you’d expect from punk but with enough of The Smears’ unique take on it to keep you wanting more. Prowling Hyenas continues this theme, picking up the pace and launching you into a melee of hammering guitar lines, pounding drums and enough aggression in the vocals to leave anyone a quivering wreck. 3 tracks into this album I think I’m already craving a live dose of these guys, just to see whether they can pack the same punch live!
Rise Of The Liars shows off a slightly more complex side to the band, demonstrating that they’re not just a simplistic punk band but instead, one which can turn their hand to more advanced, syncopated style music. Hammering onwards, there’s a real sense of influence from the likes of The Sex Pistols and other similar old skool punk bands, all mashed together to form this melee which we’re presented with. R&R seems to come as a further demonstration of how well this band can perform as a unit, opting for another hard hitting dose of all out punk combined with harsh vocal lines and a pulsating rhythm section. Hard hitting and unrelenting from the word go, this track stands out as another moment on this album which is going to leave you breathless, gasping for air but knowing that what you’ve gone through has been well worth it! Horribly Wrong (below) only goes to secure this further, once again leaving you wanting more and more at increasingly louder volumes!
So Pretty almost takes us to the world of metal, opening with a SOAD style beat before reverting to the harder approach of the punk side of things. Hammering guitars, spat out vocals, pounding drums and bass heavy enough to shake your ribs to pieces, this is a moment on the album which is going to stand out as one to make sure you check out for sure! Scrape Patrol almost lures you into a sense of safety as it initially follows on, but believe me when I say it doesn’t last. Once again throwing out enough power and distortion to keep even the heaviest fan satisfied, this is another track which is going to kill on the live scene, one which progresses at an insane speed yet somehow manages to allow you to hear every single element of the track as it bombards you from every direction. It’s all a lot to take in as Handcuffs and Powder Puffs comes in to close the album, giving you one last taste of their blend of punk and all out power. Closing on a high, this final hurrah on the album is one which will leave you without a shadow of doubt in your mind that The Smears are here, and are ready to quite simply rock your world.
All too often bands start off with a great sound, then move in a different direction for what ever reason, leaving what made them so appealing at the door so people lose interest – that’s not the case here. The Smears have developed a sound which is quite simply phenomenal, containing all of the power of hard heavy metal, all of the speed and bile of punk, and all o f the melody of general pop music, something which few could achieve. The album you’re left with is one which is going to make you want to hear more, make you fall in love with the band and lust after their music, but most of all, make you once again realise that there are still bands out there producing what can simply be called ‘good shit’.
To find out more about The Smears, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
The Smears
The Smears are an all-girl 3 piece band from Nottingham who were brought to my attention by their Manager. They describe themselves as ‘Punk rock riot grrrl grunge metal awesomeness’, which to me sounds like a pretty damned good combo! As such, I thought it only right that I had a listen to see whether their music backs this up! Their single - Freakshow is out there and ready to be checked out - I'd advise you have a gander!
Freak Show opens with a pounding drum line, solid bass line and a welcome message to all who listen. As the track properly kicks in, the vocals continue their chanting progression, underpinned by a roving riff on the guitar, the combination creates an almost Amen style sound as it progresses, adopting the punk style but adding in the metal edge. The track is catchy in its own right throughout whilst remaining raw and very bass heavy, the latter adding further to the already heavy sound. Breaking down into a chant of ‘I Am A Freak, I Wear It On My Sleeve’, I promise you’ll be chanting along by the second time you listen to this track, you can’t help it! Building to the end, this track leaves you wondering why it is you’ve not come across this band before, their sound is well beyond their experience!
Second track Horribly Wrong once again opens with the bass high in the mix, this time opting for a faster beat to the track. Opting for heavier guitars this time, this track leans more towards the punk roots of the band, sounding like classic Rancid musically whilst laying down their own mark with the vocals – this track is testament to the bands ability to create their own sound and throw it in your face. My only complaint about this track is its length, in true punk style it’s only a short one which leaves you wanting more, and more I want!!!
The Smears are one of those bands who I always hope will come through on an email, one which makes you sit up and listen, makes you pay attention and makes you want to hear more from them. Their sound is unique whilst pinned on established bands which creates something pretty special, something I for one want to hear a lot more of!
To find out more about The Smears, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Freak Show opens with a pounding drum line, solid bass line and a welcome message to all who listen. As the track properly kicks in, the vocals continue their chanting progression, underpinned by a roving riff on the guitar, the combination creates an almost Amen style sound as it progresses, adopting the punk style but adding in the metal edge. The track is catchy in its own right throughout whilst remaining raw and very bass heavy, the latter adding further to the already heavy sound. Breaking down into a chant of ‘I Am A Freak, I Wear It On My Sleeve’, I promise you’ll be chanting along by the second time you listen to this track, you can’t help it! Building to the end, this track leaves you wondering why it is you’ve not come across this band before, their sound is well beyond their experience!
Second track Horribly Wrong once again opens with the bass high in the mix, this time opting for a faster beat to the track. Opting for heavier guitars this time, this track leans more towards the punk roots of the band, sounding like classic Rancid musically whilst laying down their own mark with the vocals – this track is testament to the bands ability to create their own sound and throw it in your face. My only complaint about this track is its length, in true punk style it’s only a short one which leaves you wanting more, and more I want!!!
The Smears are one of those bands who I always hope will come through on an email, one which makes you sit up and listen, makes you pay attention and makes you want to hear more from them. Their sound is unique whilst pinned on established bands which creates something pretty special, something I for one want to hear a lot more of!
To find out more about The Smears, check out their Facebook page HERE.