Buy This

Bangers - Small Pleasures

• Buy in the UK / Europe via Special Subject Records.
• Buy in North America / ROTW via Kiss of Death Records.

Roo, Andrew and Hamish have been three of my best friends since the day we first met in the small, unassuming village pub that I was putting on shows in sometime around 2005 or 2006. That day their old band, Burning Coalition absolutely ripped me in two. A few years [and a few bands] on, they still utterly tear me apart with their pop hooks and brash choruses.

I've always admired Roo's lyics, he manages to be incredibly cynical about everything, tell everyone how annoying he finds them and still manage to come across as the super nice, incredibly genuine guy that he is. However, there's more to this record than just charming lyrics and great rocking pop punk. This record is underpinned with the uncertainty that a band like this lives with; they've given up their jobs and spend weeks away from their girlfriends for this. They know there's no money in it and that the UK isn't large enough to sustain a DIY touring punk rock band. But that's all OK.

This record is a step back, a deep breath, and a nosedive straight into the deep end.

Listen to the first track, MAKING FRIENDS on Bandcamp.

NB. This record will be available to stream on Punknews as of tomorrow, Tues 3rd May.

The Shitty Limits are a band from Reading and London who take influence from 60's garage, 70's punk and 80's hardcore. They've been churning out records like nobody's business over the past few years. They're always a lot of fun live, and are yet to release a bad record.

They have put all their records [six 7"s and an LP] up for free download on their blog [http://theshittylimits.blogspot.com]. There's a new record coming out [I think a 12" EP] in the next few months. In the meantime, download this stuff.

Facel Vega are from South Wales and are unlike pretty much any other band in the UK at the moment. They play urgent, noisy emo, halfway between Rites Of Spring and Dag Nasty. As if a band is playing this sort of stuff in 2011? Thus far, Facel Vega have released a demo, a split 7" with The Sceptres and a split 12" with Harbour.

They are one of my favourite UK bands at the moment. If you're into that 80's Dischord / Revolution Summer stuff, you'll love this band. They're just about to release an LP, I have no doubt it is going to absolutely rule.

What can you say about The Steal? They played fast, poppy, "positive" hardcore. They released two LP's, a split 7" and a split 10". They broke up. This was at The Peel in Kingston, just outside London. This was last song they ever played, . It was one of the best shows I've ever been to. Great band. Half of them now play in Pacer, half play in Sauna Youth. Also great bands.

Their first LP has just been released on vinyl for the first time by Ed McNulty at My Parents' Records. It was a game-changer for me. I'm sure you'll like it.

Is there anything that we missed this week? Let us know in the comments. Next Monday's post will be by Angie Boylan of Cheeky/Each Other's Mothers/Very Okay/Aye Nako. You can download most of her band's music from IYMI or Quote Unquote. Stay tuned!