The Velvet Hands - Party's Over

The Cornish trio, now residing in London, have arguably delivered the most anthem-filled guitar album of 2018. A stark reminder that concept albums are great but bangers are more fun.

It’s been a while since the phrase ‘statement of intent’ has been levelled at an opener, well, ‘Sick of Living’ is just that. Yes, life is shit, but “we’re having fun” is the message on this punkier version of BRMC’s ‘Whatever Happened to my Rock n Roll’.

They manage to encapsulate the spirit of The Strokes’ ‘Is This It?’ on ‘Only Blame Myself’ and ‘Trains’. The catchy punk rock combines with the nonchalant swagger of the New York outfit, with the former climaxing in the glory of a Kinks-esque solo.

Rock ‘n’ roll bangers are this albums bread and butter. There are times when it goes further. ‘I Don’t Mind’ has a chorus that forges a togetherness with the band and the listener through its shambolic arm-in-arm drunkenness. Images of spilt snakebite and sweat-ridden indie disco walls will come to mind.

The derision in the lyrics and the unifying disarray on ‘Everyone is Dead’ is a celebration of all we know to be shit. Sonically, they’re worlds apart but thematically, it brings Suede’s world of disillusionment and ability to kick back at the world to mind.

Whatever they release from the album has genuine potential to be A-list material. This is an album of short and sharp singles set to soundtrack many a teenager’s long summer holidays.