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If Fugazi's albums replace the bible on your bedside table and you recite Mclusky's lyrics before every dinner, then this band might be to your liking: from the Welsh trio, thanks to bassist Jon Chapple, now singer and guitarist, the project Shooting At Unarmed Men takes shape; this is their first work where they try not to stray too far from the punk-rock vein that characterized Mclusky, with ironic, sharp lyrics, and the regurgitation of generational anthems that aim to contaminate our minds; the final result offers some notable tracks, like the danceable "Taking Care Of Business" where the drums steer the nervous system, the bass drum is soft and pounding at the same time, the guitar bouncy and the repetition of the chorus forces it into your head, as in "Impunity Rules" where amidst inciting shouts, the phrase "40 percent means you could do a lot better" is an exhortation to give more. Another track to note is "This Much Is A Lot", where guitar riffs implode along with Jon's screams, before ending in a nebulous excursion, reminiscent of Thee More Shallows' atmospheres. Perhaps several beers preceded the recording of "There's A Reason It's Called The Easy Way Out", a tipsy and swaying ballad accompanied by gentle strums of guitar and abrupt introspective instrumental gusts; "When Potent Means Don't", on the other hand, has the typical sound of Evans and remaining in the Fugazi theme, the scream that makes the chorus soar in "No-One Can Waltz" harks back to that of "Break": this wave marchette is reminiscent of the out-of-tune ballads of the English Mower; even "Four-Eyed McClayvie" has a punk wave cut that ends in a delirious finale; the rest of the album proceeds in line with what has been described: it's up to you then...
...they won't be on your bedside table, you won't remember them before dinner, but at least on Sunday morning they might be a valid alternative to the usual routine...
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