Straight outta Jersey comes the trio that is Burntmill Ghosts and these dudes, well, they’re unapologetically punk to its core. The band just released its debut album, Old Records (Double Helix) and Burntmill Ghosts is taking no prisoners. The band powers through the 10-song collection but don’t think it doesn’t get creative now and again. The sublime edginess of “Paradise” isn’t missed but it’s the band’s pop sensibilities on “As The Crow Flies” that also get one’s attention. Still flagrantly tossing around a wall of sonic bliss through its guitars, the captivating melody is wondrously infectious. We can all get behind Burntmill Ghosts and it’s Old Records.

FRANK TURNER – UNDEFEATED

What is “Punk”? Is it just a style of music or something much more? I’ve always been inclined to believe it’s both but most importantly, it’s a way of life and something we should never lose sight of within ourselves, so yes, it’s a manner of thinking as well. Maybe I’m just rambling right now but we can all see how it mirrors Hip-Hop as a culture. Emceeing is just a part of it, as is the music. So with this theory Punk music is just a part of the Punk culture.

The Englishman and punk enthusiast Frank Turner has just reached a turning point in his life with his 10^th full-length solo release Undefeated (Xtra Mile Recordings) and the album seems to be all over the place. This doesn’t mean the album is unfocused or filled with shoddy half-finished songs, that’s not what I mean at all. There’s a balance Turner infuses songs with a variety of stylish melodies where, even if the song is punk-tinged blaring at high decibels, he’s tossing in those aforementioned melodies for good measure. But he doesn’t always stick to one style and he’s not bound by his punk upbringing because (gasp) he also writes pop songs as well as some that he finds inspiration through folk music. But it ain’t your granddad’s folk music. The bustling opener “Do One” is imbued with a catchy melody, interesting dynamics, and Turner’s unabashed love for flagrant melodies. His message here ring true and he states the obvious, which many are never able to see it right in front of them. People are going to hate you but who cares? Do you and be a better you, no one can take that away from you. While lyrically it works, musically it gets even better as edgy walls of guitars are present but never directly in your face, with a rhythm that’ll have you pogoing in place. It’s followed by an oddly placed “Never Mind The Back Problems” which comes in at less than a minute and a half. While not completely tongue-in-cheek, Turner’s wit isn’t missed. Like a frantic crash-tested Pogues, he’s unrelenting. That leads right into the beautiful “Cease Fire,” a haunting number, numbing with melancholy channeled through a repetitive piano that sets the tone as instruments sometimes crash around it. Phew, if your heart doesn’t skip after listening to it, you’re probably half-dead.

The punchy “Girl From The Record Shop” is unrequited love but it makes you wonder if she even notices him in that way. Turner makes it work as instruments collide frantically but moves powerfully in its motion. Maybe she likes him but doesn’t like-like him. Turner has a sense of humor which can be appreciated, we hear it here and in “Pandemic PTSD.” We can laugh about it all now, without lockdowns, social distancing, and for some of us, week-long hospital stays. But yeah, he and his band smash right through it with a catchy and heavy rhythm as he sings post-pandemic mania. By the time we reach “No Thank You For The Music,” you should be all in. This is the do-or-die moment for many, and when he sings “I don’t want to be in, any gang that you’re in/I refuse to take part, in gatekeeping peoples art!” Turner doesn’t struggle with getting older, it seems he welcomes it and has no need of censoring anything or anyone coming up behind him. He’s not that kind of millennial turning into a boomer. The vehemence in his words & music is palpable. Yeah, that’s a good thing. “International Hide and Seak Champions” is a strengthened number that has Turner walking away from the grid before the world burns down. Sounds like he’s prepared for it and here he does it through the song’s driving rhythm & infectious melody. The handclaps are added in for good measure and works to the song’s benefit.

Nothing will prepare you for “On My Way,” where Turner takes his lead from artists like Nick Drake or Damien Jurado. His voice and a guitar that doesn’t need much more, which allow his craftsmanship to flourish within it. This is when you learn Turner is a master songwriter. If that doesn’t settle it for you, the larger-than-life “Somewhere Inbetween” might change your mind with its atmospheric feel and stunning delivery through Turner’s own voice. Did I mention it was stunning? Yeah, stunning. As we reach the tail end of the album, he closes with the piano-driven title track. It begins sparsely with his lone voice and piano a minute and a half in before other instruments slink in quietly and it becomes something much grander as the horn interplay elevates it yet again. The majesty of the composition isn’t missed, and its delicateness turns into a beast of a track!

Simply put, Frank Turner has outdone things here with Undefeated, an album that undoubtedly challenges listeners and possibly himself as well. It’s a great album filled with a punk ethos, pop melodies, and superb rhythms. What else could you possibly need?

VACATION – RARE EARTH

So there we are, listening to something random wondering what it might be we’re listening to, not really giving it too much thought. Do I bother? There are countless releases that come in my direction and unfortunately/fortunately, I can’t get to them all. But there are moments, and once I tune in, I have to see things through. It isn’t something that happens frequently but enough times that I’m presently surprised, offering up a blurb or two.

While I know little to nothing about the Cincinnati, Ohio outfit Vacation, I do know the band has just released its latest album, Rare Earth (Feel It Records) and this isn’t the band’s first go-around. Vacation has an extensive selection of music, filled with albums, EPs, and singles, that I was about to write off. Why? Well, I’m glad you asked such a thoughtful question. The album opens with “Worlds In Motion,” possibly one of the most unlistenable pieces of music I’ve ever heard. If you were looking for the definition of ‘trash,’ you don’t need to look any further than this. Lyrically, it seems the band was in search of something meaningful that it’s probably still looking for. Phrases like, “Times are changing, we want more than rock n roll / but don’t get me wrong, we still need rock n roll / and we still want rock n roll that comes from deep inside the bottomless hole.” You get the idea. Through this song, it epitomizes a group searching for some sort of identity. Or so it might seem. While the music is interesting enough, you probably won’t get past the lyricism. Ok enough, I’m no longer discussing this track but it should be deleted from existence, and quickly. The track gave me pause, thinking there wasn’t any hope left for the group but fortunately, there’s redemption afoot.

This is the moment the title track bursts in, a catchy hook-filled number that delivers raunchy guitar interplay, a catchy rhythm, and a rough vocal delivery that combined, rocks the fuck out with youthful fervor. Ok, that was a complete 180-degree turn that allows the band to redeem itself. “Kink” shocks the senses with its guitar inflections that spark with brief solos and stormy melodies. The band’s catchy rhythm is effortless here and if there was ever a group that can suck blood from a stone, it would probably be Vacation. The band seems to take its lead from Robert Pollard with “Life Beyond Enceladus.” The comparison is negligible and considering Pollard also calls Ohio home, and the band cites GBV as just one of many of its own influences, the band honors Pollard well. While it isn’t a direct duplicate, the style of songwriting and vocal delivery is similar, but there’s no denying the pop sensibility smothered in delectable distortion. This is a moment Vacation should a wealth of promise. Yeah, this is probably my favorite track of the album itself.

Vacation does have more to offer thankfully, with moments of oddness, reminiscent of pop experimentalists Peru Ubu. Mind you, I don’t cite these acts lightly as the band has shared its affinity for them. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that either though, in a world where everyone wants to claim to be purveyors of originality but we all know there no longer is a way to find new ways to interpret 3 chords. “Psychic Gasoline” is a good attempt at creating a sonic excursion that while relying on the past, looks towards the future. Stop/start guitars give way to howling vocals as the band’s rhythm moves in one direction, keeping things simple but also leaving room for drama. It works to Vacation’s benefit. “Tectonic Rider” storms in around catchy notes juxtaposing themselves to harsh guitar interplay with loads of harmonies and interesting vocal work.

So we get past the band’s spuddish opener, to find a blooming flower throughout the songs surrounding Rare Earth. It’s strange how Vacation hasn’t cast a wider net with its music because it does a LOT of interesting things, covered in distortion. There’s strength within this band and this album showcases that fact.