The other night MV found itself at an early curfew gig because it was a club night after. On the drive home we went down one of those roads that all major cities probably have — the place to be. My mate said: “Oh, to be young.”
Me? I never went clubbing when I was young. I’m teetotal, and when I’m not at a gig, I’m watching football, cricket, or listening to a book on Audible.
The point I’m making here is that I’m not in the world Carsick inhabit. But like I said when I reviewed their debut, I can recognise when a song is both superb and authentic.
That last word is important, because what Jon Richardson and the troops do is chronicle young lives in small towns.
“Violence” is ready. And good grief, it’s got some energy. If it taps into the club culture, then “Backseat” does the same: “What a shame, you paid for a double vodka coke, most of it was ice and the rest of it was lemonade.”
“Pub Watch” looks at drinking to excess as a routine. But what’s interesting is this isn’t punk. It’s not hip hop. It’s not post-punk. It’s all three. Carsick are crafting something new. And they’ve got a neat line in rhyming couplets — “He needs a gentle reminder that he’s not a Peaky Blinder” is particularly good.
“Song About The Police” adds an urban funkiness to go with its casual violence and its middle finger. Every man for himself? You bet.
“Thatcher’s Gold” isn’t, unfortunately, a critique of that evil bitch as she hits 100 (although you could argue that her policies created the environment for the inequality at the root of these songs). Rather, it’s one last look at Friday nights in small towns.
There’s a name I haven’t used yet, and it’s that of Pet Needs. But like them, Carsick have the desire to burst into the big cities.
Tough Luck is the sound of a band who wants it.
Rating: 8/10
