EP Review: The Outlines – House Of Thieves

Just as Green Day point their skis decidedly off-piste on Father Of All…, another band arrive with an injection of raucous, high-energy punk rock to fill the gap. There’s a definite shot of Billie Joe’s bounce to Nottingham trio The Outlines, but there’s also much more to their sound, even on this short, sharp shock of an EP.

Their influences go further back, for a start, incorporating the ragged swagger of The Clash and the jerky riffs of The Adverts, with even a touch of Dead Kennedys menace to the bass-led intros. It’s not all backwards-looking, mind. There’s a thoroughly modern sheen to the buzzsaw guitars and holler-along hooks, along with a certain sense of adventure.

The ingredients might all be familiar, but the song structures never quite go where you’d expect. The Outlines have been plugging away for a few years now, but hopefully House Of Thieves will steal them a lot more attention.

Verdict: 3/5