EMERGENCY BITTER: "CiderFootballPunkRock"

Ok, we're going on a bit of a departure with this one - as alluded to HERE, I love my music (as do most bikers), so, putting bikes aside for a moment, I thought I'd have a go at my first ever album review.

A few years ago, some friends of mine, joined together by a love of cider, football and punk rock (you can see where this is going!), decided to put together a band - and that band has just released their first album. And to my eternal surprise, it's actually bloody good!

Emergency Bitter are a group of ordinary blokes from South West London - Alb, Ferret, Joe & Phil - who exist to have a good time. This band isn't about fame, making money or achieving world domination - if they can have a few beers, play a few gigs, have a laugh and knock out the odd passable tune, then they're happy. All very honest and admirable. Anyway, let's stick the headphones on and see what "CiderFootballPunkRock" has to offer....

First of all, don't be put off by the punk rock thing - this is a rock n roll album. The CD opens with "Wake Up" - a rousing little ditty which bowls along at a good pace and sets the theme for the other 15 songs, with it's catchy hooks and choruses. Humour is the other recurring theme on this record and this is amply demonstrated by the second song "Daytime Drinking". How can you not love lyrics like "I'm going daytime drinking, in the pub with the other wasters/I'm going daytime drinking, pints of cider and Jager chasers"?! Great stuff!

"Sold my Soul" laments our shared affliction in supporting Fulham, "Doris", "My Life", "Square Peg" follow - all pleasing, catchy tunes - while "Fuck the BNP", "Gang of One", and my personal favourite "Silver Spoon" stick two fingers up at some of the things that go on in society. But there's nothing overtly political here - they're just having their say. However, it's the boys' love of drinking and having a good time that really comes through on this album, and this is nicely summed up in the clever, funny and (again) very catchy "One More For The Road", which brings things to a close before the cover version encore of Christine Aguilera's "Beautiful" (yes, you read that right!).

This is an honest, highly enjoyable, accomplished and FUN record. It has a good pace throughout, great melodies and I guarantee you'll find yourself humming away to the tunes long after the record has finished. I've bought cds by the likes of Tracer, Airbourne and Stone Sour recently - all great bands - yet it's"CiderFootballPunkRock" that I play the most. That's some accolade.

At the end of the day, this is a band with good chemistry and one that is at ease with itself. I'm proud to call the guys friends and I love the album. Hopefully you will too.


PS. Should you wish to give it a go, it's just FIVE of your English pounds - available HERE