Long Island melodic punks Iron Chic have been on a hell of a ride up to this point. It’s always been clear from their lyrics that the individuals in the band have had their personal struggles but, with the passing of original guitarist Rob McAllister in early 2016, the release of new album ‘You Can’t Stay Here’ feels especially poignant. No one would have blamed the band for crumbling under the weight of this loss but instead they’ve come together to create a record that takes negative experiences and delivers them in a way that’s nothing short of uplifting.
‘A Headache With Pictures’ opens proceedings with that trademark syrupy guitar sound and it’s not long before the poetic, multi-layered gang vocals we’ve come to associate with Iron Chic triumphantly announce their arrival. The band’s sound hasn’t changed all that much since their 2010 debut ‘Not Like This’ but it’s executed with so much honesty and feeling that it’s impossible to hold it against them. Some bands have a particular bit of a particular song that is the ‘big singalong’ moment during an album or live set, but Iron Chic have one in practically every song. Somehow this trait never loses its impact and the likes of ‘Invisible Ink’ and ‘To Shreds, You Say?’ are sure to become live favourites for this very reason.
As mentioned before, the lyrics of this album go to some pretty dark places, which creates an interesting juxtaposition against the upbeat music supporting them. ‘You Can’t Stay Safe’ in particular is extremely bleak, with each of its three verses taking three lines to show an attempt to be more positive, but the fourth line of each exasperatingly knocks the positivity back down. That’s not to say that there aren’t moments of positivity on the record. ‘Profane Geometry’ contains the line “my heart feels heavy but it’s still pounding steady”, which could suggest a new found appreciation for life, despite its challenges.
Iron Chic’s main appeal has always been how relatable they are; not just lyrically, but also in the way they present themselves. They’re just a bunch of everyman types who got together to write songs about things that are important to them. There’s no pretence or image or choreography, just great songwriting and tangible honesty. If you already didn’t like Iron Chic then ‘You Can’t Stay Here’ is unlikely to be enough of a departure to change your mind, but fans of their stripped-back and heartfelt approach to punk rock will find plenty to love about it.
LIAM KNOWLES