Hailing from Scotland’s post-industrial heartland, Reaction combine ’70s street-punk with gritty Americana on their barnstorming second album.
‘Keep it Weird, Keep it Wired’ is a step-change for the Lanarkshire punks, expanding their street-punk sound to take in a range of roots influences, from alt-country to classic garage-rock.
Tremendous opener ‘Welcome to Rust Town’ sees the quartet joined by former Thrum vocalist Monica Queen, duetting with combative frontman Carson on a heart-pumping rocker that Steve Earle would kill for.
Main songwriter Joe Whyte has often spoken of his frustration with Scotland’s trapped-in-amber punk scene, but the guitarist channels his vexation via an eclectic range of song-writing influences, resulting in an album that marries the free-wheeling adventure of ‘London Calling’ to the feral roots-punk of The Gun Club.
Each track brings a new twist, from the Ladbroke Grove proto-punk flavoured ‘Valerie Solanos and Me’ (imagine Lemmy-era Hawkwind with Bob Calvert supplying surrealist lyrics), to the fervent garage-rock anthem ‘Won’t Go Back to Jail’, boasting an impassioned vocal performance from Carson and killer snare drum dynamics from John Bryson.
Elsewhere, ‘Killing Time’ simultaneously evokes Larry Wallis-era Motorhead and The Damned’s Brian James-driven debut, while ‘Stars So Far’ boasts melodic guitar firestorms worthy of Dinosaur Jr.
Crucially, Reaction never lose their brawling street-punk spirit, ensuring each track crackles with energy and excitement. Laconic bassist Scot Van Den Akker supplies melodic twists and turns while sticking fast to his ‘What would Dee Dee do?’ credo. ‘Dumb Dumb Dumb’ is a case in point, seamlessly combining terse, Wire-y riffs with an explosive street-fighting chorus.
Penned by enigmatic New South Wales-based Reaction ‘fifth member’ Pete Lacey, the elegiac ‘Days of El Dorado’ salutes absent friends while also tipping a hat to the song-writing finesse of Clash guitarist Mick Jones, closing a fine album on a poignant note. Weird, wired – whatever you want to call it, Reaction’s sophomore album is a vital statement of intent.
Buy ‘Keep it Weird, Keep it Wired here.
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