Named “the future” by BBC 6Music’s Chris Hawkins, The C33s are back and leave no listener’s head unturned in their latest surf-rock plea to tackle life’s harsh realities riff-first. It’s been a long roadmap, two lockdowns and one cancelled Christmas since last year’s single ‘Harpurhey Hostility‘ took a political dive into Mancunian society’s most disenfranchised, but The C33s are back with new track ‘Benzodiac’ – the newest addition to their bible of uncompromising home-truths.
‘Benzodiac’ is the first single and the title track from the 3-piece punk outfit’s new EP and was fuelled by the band’s frustration at the closure of the live gig scene last year. For that reason, it’s production clings as close as possible to the raw live experience, taking the Californian genre to dizzy new heights before slamming you back down to a gritty-garage reality that the band have best described as “concrete surf-rock”.
The single is explained by the band as “a frank observation of addiction, renewal and rebirth”, but prepare to be anything but sedated as an intoxicatingly slick and progressive guitar riff provided by Cav Green pulls you in, making it the perfect soundtrack for your favourite desert cult-classic film. We are thrown into epic surroundings with urgency as this track builds with Judy Jones storming in raucously on the kit whilst Ste Phillips fuels the anticipation with an exhilarating and palpitating bass line, meeting the perfect use of a tantalising reverb and echo-inducing delay during Cav’s guitar solo.
What’s exciting about this track is Cav’s move to a more spoken-word style vocal like that of The Damned’s 1977 release Damned Damned Damned, while the delivery of lyrics like “the universal will just to become” resemble the more recently fashioned passionate and punchy vocal of Idles’ frontman Joe Talbot. Not to forget Judy’s rousing dual harmonies throughout and her first-class punk yelp that creates the ideal sought after abrupt cliff-hanger ending to this single that paves the way for a future that is The C33s.
The new from The C33s, also entitled Benzodiac, is set for release in August on Rare Vitamin Records, and will available to purchase on 10” vinyl, CD and cassette.
Lauren Roberts
@robauren
Get In Her Ears 
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