Album Review: U.K. Subs - "Reverse Engineering"

 

Clearly even having completed his four decade quest to release an album for every letter in the alphabet hasn't stopped UK Subs frontman Charlie Harper coming up with new material. Reverse Engineering is being touted as the band's final album but...well, I'll believe that when I see it to be honest.

But the truth is that it's no fluke that the UK Subs have lasted this long - it's all very well to pay tribute to Harper's undoubted tenacity but as this album proves, they're still a band with a good knack for a spiky punk riff and shoutalong chorus as evidenced on the likes of the angry Political Alamo and the ominous C60 Audio. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is the strongest Subs album for a good few years with the plundering pirate-punk of Hoist The Sail and the stomping Big Foot being highlights and the ominous The Night Holds The Key and the lurching Bad Acid showing that the band can do the odd slower more menacing number to balance out their trademark thrashy sound. The anthemic Godot meanwhile makes for an excellent album closer.

If this really is the final UK Subs album then they can rest easy in that they've certainly gone out on a high note - as I say, Reverse Engineering is comfortably the strongest Subs album for many moons and a good testament as to why they've lasted as long as they have and have well and truly earned their stripes as respected veterans of the punk scene. Certainly for any punk fans reading this, this 'un should be right near the top of your shopping list this month.

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