KIDS CAN'T FLY - NORTHERN HORIZONS

The latest EP from Kids Can’t Fly – and the first offering I’ve heard from them – was thundering along in a fairly agreeable manner, all shouty vocals, crunching guitars and stop-start riffing, when something unexpected happened. Namely, a horn section blasting away. Immediately, my eyebrow raised and my lip curled at the prospect of that most dreaded of hybrids, ska-punk, a genre responsible for all manner of forced jollity, comedy punk and general awfulness. It is, then, to the band’s credit that they just about get away with it. However, if they dress in suits and do ‘ironic’ synchronised dance moves, then fuck ‘em.

Mucky brass aside, this is a suitably belting slice of post-emo commercial punk – bouncy and catchy enough to have you jumping up and down, left field enough for the band not to be seen as sell outs. Opener Esmeralda sets the scene nicely, and Stick to Your Guns has infectiousness too. There’s nothing here that you haven’t heard before, but they do it well, and fans of upbeat punk will find much to enjoy here.

DAVID FLINT