“Never give in. Never give up”, goes the hook line on “Back To The Rats”, the opening track of “Sublime Destruction” and that feels like not only are Desperate Measures sending it as a message to all of us, but to the band themselves.
It’s been a journey to this point anyway. Formed in his native New Zealand by singer Eugene Butcher, and after all kinds of ups and downs, things have come to this.
“….Destruction” has on it a couple of tunes that were on “Rinsed” (their EP from a couple of years back) but whether you know them already or not, the 40 minutes or so here is quite brilliant.
“….Rats” is the sound of what might as well be the house band at MV. Punk with a melody, catchy choruses with a sneer. All wrapped up in a critique of 2024.
“Pocket” essentially likes the idea so much that it does it again, while the title track injects energy, skill, and a guitar solo in the intro from Gaff (who still gets The Glitterati bonus points from me) that rather proves nothing rocks harder.
“The Rich-Ual” (one of the survivors from the EP) attacks those with influence and sadly is even more relevant to 2024 than it was in 2021. But there’s a gang feel to this. Like they’ve got their backs and you best be ready if you’re coming for them.
When it was sent to me it was suggested that the sound was somewhere between The Cult and The Stooges. The opening riff to “Enjoy The Ride” is the former, and the harmonies even have a touch of the Stones.
And if not “harmonies” then “melody” underscores this. “Lost Angels” sees Butcher repeat his line “I live by the creed, of faith hope, and honesty” (used before on another song but no less powerful).
“Untouchable” might have Tyla from Dogs D’Amour scrabbling around to see if he wrote it, while “Thinking Of England” is a real highlight. Not for nothing does it start with some punk history. It belongs in the lineage.
I mean it with the greatest of respects to the guys, though, to say that Desperate Measures are not a “punk” band. There’s too much going on to use broad brush strokes. The ominous-sounding strings on “Flowers At Your Door” for example play into that.
The current single “Seven Sisters” is another that has me reaching for the nearest Dog’s D’Amour record (which are never too far away). There’s a simplicity, but an air of violence about it, like you wouldn’t want to follow it down a dark alley, just in case – or be on Seven Sisters Road after a Spurs game.
All throughout this, there’s a feeling that on this collection, Desperate Measures were, well desperately, trying to do whatever they wanted to do, whatever sounded and felt right.
To that end, perhaps it concludes with “Still Got Me”. An acoustic, string-laden thing which has at its last line “forever free”…..
And maybe that’s it. The whole of “Sublime Destruction” is perhaps a reminder that whatever “they” do “we” have the ability to resist.
A rock n roll record for the many and not the few. It’s as good as it gets.
Rating 9/10
