ALBUM REVIEW: Expendables – Fake Names

Not all supergroups are created equal; if we graded based on star power, this would be one of the easiest reviews ever written. FAKE NAMES has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to punk talent from across the spectrum, backed up by a sensational array of experience pushing 45 years in the making. This combination led to a first album that immediately turned heads, though perhaps at the expense of a completely polished experience. Expendables is a far cry from the raw, demo-tape vibes of their self-titled debut, though. Here, the ethos seems to be much simpler – do what you must, but do it how you want.

Thanks to the apparent shift in energy and mindset, the differences in the overall sound are markedly obvious. The rough and ready punk aspects aren’t gone completely, or relegated to background noise either; instead, they’re spread more finely through an album that focuses its energy on creating music that the band enjoy making. For every BUZZCOCKS-style spark there are pop-infused hooks in the multiples, for every backward turn of the clock hands to MINOR THREAT/REFUSED/S.O.A. there’s experimentation, playfulness and a band having fun doing what they do best.

This sense of adventure rears its head from the word go. Opener Targets snags the hook and turns the reel quickly, as crashing waves of punchy riffs smash against vocal melodies purpose-built to make heads nod. The title track continues to turn the dial in that direction as the harmonies get thicker and the tone gets cleaner, and Expendables doesn’t look back from there as the grooves start to set in. Don’t let the flair fool you, however; there’s plenty of bite to accompany the bark. Johnny Temple’s bass in particular rips through the mix in Caught In Between like a dropped elephant through rice paper, a thunderous counterplay to the clean guitars that roots the whole thing in an avant-garde punk potting ground.

It doesn’t take too much searching to find the lyrical aggression however it is delivered, either; Can’t Take It delivers a discourse on chagrin at the state of stupidity in the digital age, while Don’t Blame Yourself is an imploring call to rise above the voices telling you to submit, supported by a fantastic bit of SEX PISTOLS-ism in the guitar track. The whole thing is likely to jar those coming in expecting something a little lower to the ground, but to deny the tracks the wings they have would only harm the quality on display here.

An infectious lesson on how to hold the world accountable in your own way, Expendables is built on experience and sold through flair. The solid, old-school rock backbone is doused with pop fuel and the resulting fire burns wild and bright without losing an ounce of channelled anger. It’s a best-of-most-worlds scenario with very few flat moments and while it’s not for the punk purists – who cares? FAKE NAMES are doing their own thing on their own time and doing it fantastically. Nobody said the revolution had to be boring.

Rating: 8/10

Expendables is set for release on March 3rd via Epitaph Records.

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