Proclaiming to be both ‘the best punk band in the world’ as well as ‘South Wales’ drunkest band’, Newport’s Pizzatramp are a thrashy punk three piece that specialize in one to two minute blasts of chaotic two chord noise. This is DIY punk at it’s finest, releasing a number of EPs and music videos with a budget of nothing the band further prove they’ve aptly named themselves by stating they ‘will play anywhere for beer’. February saw the release of their third release, ‘Late Night At Nettys’ that makes up in balls to the wall, all out, trash punk for what it’s title lacks in apostrophes.
Album opener ‘Ciggy Butt Brain’, which takes it’s name from an internet cartoon, instantly sets the general tone for the record, fast paced, lo-fi hardcore punk sprinkled with catchy gang vocals and groovy hooks that continues into and throughout ‘Knuckle Dragger’.
‘Photo Wanker’, as one of the longer songs on the album, at a mere two minutes and two seconds is both a socially conscious outlook on the use of social media and watching life through a camera screen, as well as taking the opportunity to say what we’re all thinking in the opening line with “Selfie stick, you look like a prick, why don’t you stick it up your arse”.
‘Emmy The Chemist’ has an old school vibe to it as it takes the listener on a short journey of someone trying to score drugs. This release explores the dark and bleaker areas of life based on real experiences. The authenticity of the lyrical content is undeniable and often relatable such as ‘Uncooperative Co-Op cunt’, ‘Black Eye Friday’ and ‘All The Gear No Idea’ in which the titles speaks for themselves.
That being said, there are also a few songs that may well need explaining such as ‘Dolly Fucking Parton’ with it’s ten minutes of silence and ‘Lloyd Grossman’ that appears to tell the story of the famous chef ‘pissing through people’s letterboxes’ and that ‘not all punk songs can be about politics’. ‘Wizard Kicker’ is another example with it’s heavy and fuzzy sound that could’ve easily been lifted off of a lesser known Black Sabbath track.
Pizzatramp are becoming a noteworthy group playing shows with a variation of bands across the UK including Pints, Wonk Unit, Conflict and UK punk legends Sham 69 and UK Subs. Mixed and mastered by Jeff Rose @ Studio 28, the 14 track EP clocks in at just under twenty minutes and it’s a solid twenty minutes of good fun, groovy riffs and pissed off and possibly pissed up, chaos.
JAMES DAVENPORT