Album review: Drug Church – PRUDE

Writing songs packed with humour and heart is a feat easier said than done, especially achieving the two in concurrence. Too humourful and it’s easy to come across goofy; too heartfelt and things can feel painfully earnest. Thankfully, winning songwriting has never been an issue for Drug Church, and on new album PRUDE, the Albany five-piece once again affirm their status as one of punk’s finest forces.

Their raucous punk groove is on display from the outset here, with Mad Care kicking things off strongly, before the brilliant, Turnstile-esque Myopic delivers heaps of hardcore fun. The infectious Slide 2 Me, meanwhile, is a similarly excellent riot.

Elsewhere, the sweet guitar melodies of Hey Listen possess an urgent charm, and it’s the kind of song that feels like the sonic equivalent of a reassuring arm around the shoulder from a friend. There’s also the wry humour of Business Ethics – a tale about a drug-induced self-kidnap scheme – which is a ludicrously good time, as is live-wire punk anthem Yankee Trails. Demolition Man and The Bitters – the latter a potent hardcore rager – are yet more examples of the consistent excellence Drug Church achieve across this record.

PRUDE is an album whose life-affirming spirit is unrelenting throughout its 10 tracks, which fly by in sub-30-minute blast of punk fury. Whether you’re on the lookout for heart-on-sleeve punk, hectic hardcore mayhem or just some pure sonic fun, Drug Church’s latest offering is a real must-hear.

With songs this good, it’d be prude not to.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Turnstile, Militarie Gun, Fiddlehead

PRUDE is out now via Pure Noise

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