Rising London-via-Cornwall four-piece The Velvet Hands release their new album Sucker Punch. Delivering coming-of-age tales with slacker-rock sensibilities, the new record combines the punchy guitar licks of The Strokes or Parquet Courts with rousing punk choruses that recall The Clash or The Vaccines...

A modern, energetic, upbeat punk vibe is exactly what I was looking for to blow away the cobwebs and take me back to a time when opinions, ideals and a general attitude of being part of a community that gave a hoot were important.

Sucker Punch does indeed pack quite the punch, making you feel that there is something you can do about the state of society as well as your own mental health. It's almost as though the music is a reminder that we're all going through this together. The album is packed full of intriguing hooks and more memorable tracks than you'll be expecting.

I've been listening to this for quite some time and it's a constant joy to return and revisit songs that have become instant classics quicker than I was expecting.

8

Nick Smithson