by Mark Teague The term “post-punk” tends to be thrown around as indiscriminately as it’s “post”-prefix cousin post-modern. Unfortunately, these terms tend to be used most often to describe the amorphous and, in the case of the latter, the unsettling nature of music that has inspiration in 80’s punk, but struggles to conform to our current notions of genre.
I can happily say that the latest release by Necking – Cut Your Teeth – not only redefines the label of post-punk, but contributes to the concretization of the genre as a whole. The incendiary nature of the opening lyric catches immediate attention and the album does not let go for 23 succinct but blistering minutes that would make Keith Morris proud, until we are released and left to question what is happening on the west coast.
Necking delivers an album with a mosaic of inspirations, all placed neatly into the frame of early punk-rock. It even goes as far as, in a shameless homage to Jello Biafra, reminding us to “Kill the Poor”.
We see a solipsistic refrain in “I Still Exist” before transitioning into a familiar, but re-imagined, surf-punk twang throughout “Rover”. “Go Getter” begins with such intensity that it cannot help but motivate, which pairs nicely with tongue-in-cheek lyrics reminding the listener to “do chores”, “don’t smoke”, and “don’t swear”. “Habbo Hotel” caps the album and begins with what would seem to be a reasonably calm outro, before exploding in a race to the finish.
With the release of Cut Your Teeth Necking has doubtlessly asserted their spot in the thriving Canadian punk-rock scene, after opening a show for Bleached the have begun their first tour and are showcasing their brand of Vancouver-DIY across Canada and into the U.S.
by Mark Teague