Cold Years “Northern Blue”

We’ve been big fans of Cold Years since we first heard them, see our review Here. Sadly, they are one of the minority of British bands delivering quality punk rock. Inevitably we tend to be drawn to the States to satisfy our desire for melodic punk.

It’s clear from opening number “Seasons” that the band are stepping things up even further on this new release. It’s a good balance of punk rock and melody which matches the brilliance of The Gaslight Anthem. It may be a lazy comparison, but the fact is that songs like “What I Lost” do share the characteristics of that band ie quality punk rock driven by melody and matched with intelligent lyrics.

“Miss You To Death” actually adds a hint of Americana to the mix and has a feel that moves in to Lucero territory. That’s another big compliment as Lucero are also one of the finest purveyors of the modern punk rock genre.

Certainly, fans of those bands already mentioned, or the likes of The Menzingers and The Road Home, will absolutely love this release. If you like your punk rock with melody and lyrics that give a nod to Mr Springsteen, this is an essential purchase.