At Your Service
Aaahhh…. Shit Island, land of the free, a home away from home, time to relax, take the weight off, smell all the comforting smells and soak up the erm…shit.
Enough holiday romancing my friends and time to join The Hip Priests as they sieze the UK by the nethers and drag it over white hot coals.
Having slid down the bar of decency( I pinched this line from my colleague) with their previous efforts, these lads are the best band you’ve never heard of, in my most humble opinion. Known for their antagonism, hate- filled, and what some may consider vulgar and shameful lyricism, our friends continue to outwit and triumph over their rivals. Living on the edge, and more often than not, their fingers on the self- destruct button, we are in for ten rounds of an utter thrashing.
The despairing state of our country starts the record and the despondency and continues right until the end. Musically and lyrically scathing and tack sharp, our heroes are angry, angry and….angry.
Rambunctious and robust rhythms a la Dead Kennedys sees this band of ruffians raise two fingers at all that is wrong in the world.
The over used phrase of ‘stand for something’ is turned on its head with the title track ‘Stand For Nothing’ and makes us wonder how life is full of spectators and not enough people having the courage of their convictions.
‘Another drink, another round’ from ‘Cheers To Me’ makes an ideal drinking partner, then you smash your beer bottles and walk barefoot over the broken shards.
A neat little riff at 2.29 in ‘Losers Of The Faith’ will make your eyes water as we sing
‘make way for the losers’ hang on my friends I’m coming.
Run for cover folks as a ‘Social Hand Grenade’ is lobbed into the throng and we realise
‘no one fucking likes me in this town’.
‘From Here To Adversity’ is tinged with The Damned, rabid, foaming at the mouth, and an anthem for the same old, same old in ‘Deja F. U’ makes this music to smash your bedroom to.
Celebrate the ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Leper’ and crack open the selection box of chocolates – this is the one where they all get eaten- I dare you to pick a favourite!
Seek solace and salvation with the high priests of punk, and I’ll see you in the confessional.
This review will self-destruct in ten seconds.
Azra Pathan
The Hip Priests – Stand For Nothing out now via Speedowax Records