PUKK, Feckless - album review

It took them years to complete due to budgeting constraints. The story behind it must be heard and will be told when PUKK take part in our Unsigned feature over the coming weeks.

But for now, we focus on the music contained within this beautiful little vinyl imitation CD – each one hand stamped and signed by guitarist and vocalist Joe Chalmers and drummer Mark Beamson.

There are hints of the great British rock bands of the 90s. The backing vocals on Rank Amateur could be Noel Gallagher, the melancholic lyrics of the title track sound like the equally downhearted Manic Street Preachers’ tune My Little Empire. There’s also something distinctively Richard Hawley about the deep, drawling vocals on Cabin Crew.

Throughout, master technician Gavin Monaghan of Magic Garden Studio adds lead guitars, keys and bass for a full band sound and the result is a dreamscape of slightly sunburnt and parched tracks that scream torment while sounding really, really good.

The bouncing percussion throughout After Sun is one of the record’s lighter moments. It’s a stormer of a track that is powered along by Beamson’s sticks and some high-velocity riffs from Monaghan.

And that title track we already mentioned showcases the power in Chalmers’ voice while approaching the music from the other end of the noise spectrum. Sounding almost mournful the guitar and keys help each other along like two battle-weary soldiers limping home to their sweethearts. It’s a powerful song, showing the value of quality over quantity of volume.

Rank Amateur, also mentioned earlier, stands out due to the different production quality. Recorded on a ‘battered laptop’ and ‘£5 mic’ in Chalmers’ bedroom a decade ago it sounds gloomier due to the gloopy echoes that accompany both the acoustic guitar and lyrics.

Whether it’s light and airy or deep and depressed, the music here sounds great throughout. With another EP on the horizon in September PUKK could be one duo to keep a firm eye on.

Rating: 8/10

Feckless is available to buy on CD from the PUKK Bandcamp page only but can be bought digitally from all the usual outlets as well as listened to on Spotify by searching for the PUKK band page.