Justine & The Unclean “Get Unclean”

For regular readers of this site, the fact that this is another release on the Rumbar Records label should be all you need to know. You can kinda guess it’s going to be a punk rocker record that you’ll want to check out.

That guarantee of quality music is immediately proved by the opening two tracks “Bring Mr Fire” and “Love Got Me Into This Mess”. They’re pop rocking tracks with the right balance between punk and anthemic pop.

However, this album really comes alight with the awesome “Can’t Pretend I Don’t Know”.  It’s a quite brilliant power pop track which is as melodic as hell but still delivers a bit of a punch. It’s almost matched by the more country pop twang of “I’m In Love With You, Jackass” (great title!). That’s before they once again nail the punk pop sound with the incessantly catchy “Passive Aggressive Baby”.

Things then take another slight side step with “Worry Store” which, with its guitar lick and drum intro, recalls a lost glam metal classic. Indeed, that song and “Rock & Roll Blackmail” have a shinier pop metal feel to them. It’s certainly great to hear a band really rocking out but without forgetting the melody. The album then winds up with another full-on power pop track in the shape of “Something Out Of Nothing”.

So, once again a Rumbar records release manages to hit the spot. A great mix of punk/pop with plenty of melodies and the right amount of attitude. Perhaps more suited to listening to in the summer than cold winters. But then again, you’ll probably still be hummin some of these songs in eight months time anyhow!