By Ljubinko Zivkovic, Rock At Night Amsterdam
Review: Walker Brigade’s album If Only – Release date May 27, 2022
For those listeners that didn’t pay too much attention to punk, post-punk or neo post-punk, the names for more or less the same genre, you see, that more or less actually makes a big difference.
Quite a few artists that either begun or actually stayed true to their punk roots did stretch out into various other genres – from heavy metal to power pop, even unabashed pop. By doing that, they actually kept the punk flame burning and benefited their own development at the same time.
One such band from the seventies heyday of punk were Northern Ireland’s The Undertones, whose love of power pop and just pop was combined with punk’s loudness and urgency to a great effect.
Now, LA’s Walker Brigade (guitarists/vocalists Tracy Walker and Jeff Charreaux, drummer Craig Tyrka and bassist Mark Fletcher) with their album ‘If Only’ latch on to that Undertones streak with their punk speed, urgency but also an obvious love of pop melody and harmony vocals. It only takes you one listen to tracks like ‘Fancy Boots,’ ‘Tower’ and ‘No’ to pick up on the catchiness of what they came up with.
Yet, throughout the album, Walker Brigade doesn’t hold on to just one line of (musical) thinking – they make rounds to new wave with ‘Judy Holliday’ or even melodic hard rock like on ‘Don’t Sell Out for Free.’
Throughout, though, Walker Brigade walk over anything they touch with ease and aplomb certainly making them a force to recon with, no matter what genre you attach to their name. Another great Big Stir Records find.
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Big Stir Records – Walker Brigade
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