What was THAT?! Some blustery tracks to wake you up with more of a punch than your regular triple caffeinated concoction of choice ever could. Coroner for the Police are a bunch of guys from Manchester, but you could easily be forgiven for thinking these songs were given birth to somewhere under the night skies of the Arizona desert or possibly the Mexican border.
Screeching guitars and fast-paced harmonies ping pong addictively back and forth on first track Walking with God – If we still lived in the days when singles meant anything this would be a sure-fire single that would nicely whet your appetite so you’d eagerly dive in without thinking for the rest of their journey. All the songs carry a dirty, snaky, dusty coating that’s instantly appealing, you know, like your favourite well-worn leather jacket, scuffed and mellowed, mapping your story on its skin. You want to get aboard, you want to follow that bulldozer and see what’s on the road ahead. Hopefully the deer depicted in the cartoon is not hurt in his involvement with the band and their vehicle and I’m guessing this is a nod to the brilliant QOTSA video No One Knows.
The Rubble is a resilient track that’s got an almost Lynyrd Skynrd groove going on in the best possible way. Final track Same Old is less heavy than the others and shows CFTP can enter other dimensions other than the fast-fingered, punk/rock/metal hybrids in which they excel. There’s frustration and a healthy dose of angst rolling around in the mix but there’s a liberating explosion of release in the spirit of these songs too, that I like very much.
I saw this band on a hot, sweaty night last October and the floor of the venue was in danger of crumbling and catering as everybody was stomping their heels so hard, so caught up in the pace and passion on stage. From listening to this new EP, it’s clear they’ve carried on creating a storm but also chiselled more melody and depth into their exciting, expanding repertoire. I can’t wait to catch them live again and join in the fun. There’s a loveable sense of humour to this band demonstrated in their cartoons and character but this lot aren’t about gimmicks. They mean it and they have it. This EP stands up and pokes you in the ribs and then tears round the corner laughing before you’ve really realized what’s happened. Make no mistake, it’s happening here and they’re on one hell of a ride.