If you’re still sitting back waiting for the return of the riot, you’ve been doing so with your ears covered. Scottish three-piece punk outfit Fistymuffs‘ upcoming EP, About Time, is a fantastic soundtrack to what they represent. What that is? “What we’re singing about is relatable to 90% of the audience,” answers bassist, Patty.
The original punk rock came off the back of a political climate that alienated youth. It doesn’t stand to question why, in the decades that followed Thatcher – before the banking crisis and the housing crisis and the flurry of food bank necessity for the working people – the privileged few said punk was dead.
About Time opens with ‘Innocent Contact’ and its jarring monologue; the kind that will undoubtedly spur choruses of cis white male journalists to utter the word patriarchy. While the EP does tackle the rejection of patriarchy, the lyrics are pulled from personal experience that touches on abuse regardless of gender.
“Get away, stay away, I don’t want your innocent contact” are the lyrics that make up the earworm chorus, making the opening track the most powerful on the record. It’s a track that harks to the legacy created by Kathleen Hanna and Donita Sparks, where screams are more valuable than words.
Third track, ‘Time’ introduces a more Mancunian sound, with echoes of Joy Division and New Order taking over. Drummer Nikki, in particular, being from Manchester, is massively influenced by both bands, and it shows – “Diverse influences are what give our sound an edge.”
Fistymuffs certainly have an edge, and anyone who wants the world to stop suffering in silence by speaking out will find an idyllic companion in About Time.
About Time will be released as a physical copy on 28th July at Leith Depot and on Bandcamp the following day. Follow Fistymuffs on Facebook and Twitter.
Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer
Get In Her Ears 