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Awesome female fronted punk. Like 70's punk. Throw Lilliput, Wire, Mekons, Gang of Four and Victims in a blender and push PUNK. For fans of TV Freaks.
Our take: Debut LP from this Canadian band that plays dense, catchy, and occasionally swampy punk rock. While the label’s description mentions Liliput, Wire, and Gang of Four, for me those references don’t feel spot-on because those bands are, to some degree at least, minimalists, while Uncontrollable Urge’s sound is more maximalist. The recording is dense and lush, seeming to take up the entire sonic spectrum and leaving your ears to the weighty task of pulling individual elements from the din. Fortunately, there’s a lot to be interested in here. Tracks like the opener “Go Alone” and “Push Back” have a spunky, upbeat punk sound that reminds me of Bratmobile at their best, while “Your Way Out” and “Faked It” have a swampy, lurching sound like Flipper or even the Scientists. My favorite tracks on the record, though, are ones like “Dark Days” and “The Fear,” that have an imposing, apocalyptic quality to them. There’s something of the Birthday Party or Laughing Hyenas’ sense of grandiosity in these tracks, which makes “The Fear” an effective closer. As I said, these tracks are so dense with ideas it may take you a listen or two to make sense of it, but it’s worth the effort.