Album Review: Chubby & The Gang - "Speed Kills"

 

The obvious template for Brighton punk upstarts Chubby & The Gang is the Cockney Rejects - they've got a similarly ramshackle shoutalong charm as Canning Town's finest did back in the day and it's this sheer energy that keeps Speed Kills barrelling along and holds your attention.

The snotty likes of Pariah Radio, All Along The Uxbridge Road, Hold Your Breath and the singalong Bruce Grove Bullies are sheer yoof defiance and have a snarling belligerence that's all too rare among young bands these days. The only red light comes with an ill-advised excursion into power-pop on Trouble (You Were Always On My Mind) which just feels like a bit of a mess and the fact that the later tracks do tend to merge together in your mind as the album goes on. But then, they are a young band so you can kind of forgive that.

It's the stark Billy Bragg style Grenfell Forever which really sees them pulling off a surprise though as they come up with something genuinely affecting which stands in contrast to the piss 'n' vinegar snarl of the rest of the album. Although Chubby & The Gang give the impression of being a band that are still developing, this is a bright start and shows they've got plenty of potential. You can check Speed Kills out at their Bandcamp site if you want to investigate further.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)

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