Song: Career – Natural Energy review

by Chris Hatch

The Young Knives meet Dartz! on the lead single from career’s forthcoming EP, Letting Out The Slack. Guitar lines find the point where math-rock and post-punk meet, wandering up and down scales, before heading off in all directions. But these detours aren’t aimless prog meanderings: they are fizzing with energy and impetus, flailing around as bassist, Tom Beeton, just about manages to hold things together.

Newly signed to Bingo Records, career have previously toured with the likes of Flat Worms and Omni, and their forthcoming EP is a self-produced slab of smash-and-grab punk rock. An accompanying press release bemoans the dearth of post-punk bands who sound ‘a bit like rubbish versions of The Fall’, but Joe Lepperd’s snarky, playful delivery takes them out of that camp, and instead has them sounding like some spiky amalgamation of Ikara Colt, Gang Of Four, and The Futureheads’ early stuff – there’s even a hint of that racing, mid-noughties dance-punk groove.

Over two and a half rampant minutes, Natural Energy greets new listeners with a maniacal grin, and a welcoming pat on the back that’s delivered with just enough force to make you wince. One for fans of Squid, Yard Act, and Mush.

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