Get Fucked

The Chats

I was really looking forward to this album from Australia's The Chats based on the strength of singles like Struck By Lightning and 6L GTR. I loved the throwback to the snotty punk of the 70s and 80s, reminiscent of bands like The Sex Pistols or Buzzcocks, and how they absolutely nailed the guitar tone from that era. Eamon Sandwith's pissed off snarl and goofy animated qualities on Struck By Lightning also drew me in immediately. He's such a charismatic performer. The band, particularly on those two songs, also showed an affinity for punchy start-stop dynamics that made their songs fun and exciting. If I could get more of that then I would feel quite satiated listening to their record.

Now, I don't want to say the record was a disappointment, but I found that The Chats couldn't quite match the level of excitement their singles brought on the rest of the material here. We have a few catchy chord progressions and a handful of decent guitar solos. We have some silly songs about how the whole place is going to shit because the price of smokes are going up, workplace mishaps, and laying claim to your territory (in this case, the beach). Unfortunately though, there are some songs on this collection that just breezed by without me so much as taking a second glance. The Price of Smokes's few ideas don't really justify the nearly four minute runtime. Panic Attack's staccato 'tack tack tack' hook is genuinely annoying. And Emperor of the Beach is perhaps the weakest tune with its lifeless chorus and unnecessary, downtempo'd bridge. So I didn't come away loving this one as much as I thought I would. Despite this though, I still recognize the talent and potential in The Chats and hope that they refine their songwriting on the next one.