You get a strong sense of British pride within Bulletproof. Whether you can bracket them with cups of tea, scones and Nigel Mansell yet remains to be seen, but from the sound of the vocals, to the grunt of the guitars, it all has a very smart and sophisticated old school feel to it. Lasting a mere 38 minutes, it is a solid if unsubstantiated stab at Five Knuckles crown of ska tinged hardcore tomfoolery which is currently left unattained since the Bristol mob called it a day. And from the moment ‘Burn Down the Old’ kicks in, its an exhilarating ride of heavy moments of madness interlaced with some extremely solid skacore. But the album never flows quite as well as it should, with the constant jaggedness overcoming the album that results in a disjointed and slightly unsatisfying piece of LP.
Brownie points do go to the tone and style of the songs the Jersey mob attempt to pull off though. The ska tinged riff heavy melodies are often a joy to behold but it is the political message the band carry which plays in their favour, and not once do the lyrics feel patronising, forced or contrived. The messages are coming from the trio’s heart, and not for the simple premise of winning over some naïve 16 year old who think the whole political world revolves around you know who. While it is important for any band to have a message in their music, it is often to difficult to accept a message from a band who are strewn with clothing deals and/or funded by the humble major. But back to the music and from the lengthy introduction of ‘Lock in at the Minos’ to the laid back reggae stylings of ‘Kill the Bailiff’ there is little to be disappointed with. The production is just sharp enough for the sound being played and not polished enough to sound smoother than a baby’s backside. This self-titled effort is confident but never arrogant and gutsy if not exhilarating and if the trio continue to ply there trade then dividends and Mansell-esque fame may yet beckon.
Jay
Function Records
www.bulletproofonline.co.uk