The Quietus on Big Break:

The various members of Sheffield’s Big Break have a solid body of ex-bands to their name. As it goes, those bands skew decidedly more indie than what transpires on Angel’s Piss (Wrong Speed), which claims influence from Negative Approach and is pacey and thrilling enough to give this credence, considering it sounds pretty much nothing like Negative Approach. Though minute-long LP opener, itself titled ‘Big Break’, could reasonably be called hardcore, a selection box of keyboard-larded garage punk follows.

‘The Smoke’ testifies with the demented sass of Hank Wood & The Hammerheads, ‘Happy Bank Holiday’ is like if Alien Nosejob had written Devo’s ‘Girl U Want’ and ‘Fuckboy’, in taking a turn for the ineffably camp, had me reminiscing over good times spent with trashy Oaklanders Gravy Train!!!! The concluding ‘Yes, Goddess!’ portrays vocalist Joseph Armstrong as a foot-licking human toilet – albeit the lyrics are a cowrite with an outside party, Jennifer Reid of Big Break-related hardcore band Champayne. Reid, incidentally, is also a researcher and performer specialising in broadside ballads from 19th century Lancashire, back when times were ‘ard and human toilet was a job description not a hobby.

Big Break lament their habitual use of what they coyly call the ‘Computer Phone’, and indeed present as a fairly online bunch: ‘GGG’, short for “gaslight, girlboss, gatekeep”, is one of a few songs to ambiguously mull the spectre of vilification for microtransgressions. Is it just me who prefers (not only, but especially) punk bands to write lyrics as if the internet had never been invented? I should probably have got over it by now, right? And yet.

Scottish Punk FFO: Screeching Weasel, The Ramons

The Murderburgers are a high-energy melodic three piece pop-punk band from Scotland. Formed in 2007 by lead vocalist and guitarist Fraser, The Murderburgers grew from gobby Ramones-esque young punks into arguably Scotland’s finest ever punk rock export.

​​Before taking a break at the end of 2019, they spent most of their time on tour on both sides of the Atlantic, including runs with such bands as Alkaline Trio, Joyce Manor, Off With Their Heads, Masked Intruder, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Dear Landlord, The Copyrights, DeeCracks, The Priceduifkes, The Atom Age and Bayside, performances at such festivals as The FEST (USA), Pouzza Fest (Canada), Matsuri Festival (Japan), Asian Man Records Festival (USA), Rebellion Festival (UK), Punk Rock Holiday (Slovenia), Book Yer Ane Fest (UK), Insubordination Fest (USA) and Wonkfest (UK), all in support of releases on labels like Asian Man Records, Brassneck Records, Monster Zero, All in Vinyl and Waterslide Records.

​The Murderburgers write songs that deal with the universal issues; life, death, depression, poverty, mental illness, hope; wrapped up in an explosive ball of anxiety and chaos, delivered at 200 miles per hour.  ​​​​

​- Derrick Johnston, Make-That-A-Take Records

High octane drum and bass duo FFO: Death From Above 1979, Clt Drp, Queens of the Stone Age

The only duo in the UK who blends punk attitude with Brazilian vibes. Anthemic, energetic, self-styled fuzz-punk duo outta London via Brazil, Yur Mum is a high-voltage punch of sound. Built on a foundation of distortion, attitude, and an DIY spirit, their music hits hard. Stripping things back to the essentials, this duo doesn’t chase trends or labels – Yur Mum is what happens when you make noise on your own terms.