BONNY LAD: HARD-FOUGHT EP REVIEW
Bonny Lad is a Skate-Punk/Melodic Hardcore band from Newcastle/Sunderland, England and they have dropped their debut EP Hard-Fought. Hard-Fought follows the release of debut single The Disclosure in May this year. We have six tracks to go over, so let's jump into the EP. Yes, and the hatred of mining communities, Who have a right to expect our men and women, That they stand together when we're fighting against a common enemy, What those people are doing, Is betraying our movement, Betraying our union, And betraying our class, And for that, they will never be forgiven. Our introduction track, Hard-Fought, while simplistic in nature is powerful in substance. You will find
yourself listening to a 1940's war speech style radio broadcast, with clear diction, attention grabbing charisma and a unwavering call to action; setting the tonne for the whole EP and its message of rebellion and to fight against elitism. Our families and our communities, Are on the way to a victory.
It's been a long time coming. We're going to storm the stage. We have a choice between white noise and black rage. Debut single The Disclosure is up next, shifting the energy level up, as if in answer to the rousing speech of Hard-fought. With sections seemingly designed for crowd chanting and a space to alleviate the rage which remains ever present just under the surface. The track exudes a call for community togetherness and a wilful expression of outrage of the unjust treatment of the lower classes. I wish I could say that this song felt out of place in our current time period, however it seems perfectly suited and could easily be taken as a protest song for today's climate. It's been a long time coming of minor threats, violence, all these towns. It's been a long time coming, Yeah, they should be scared.
Hard-fought takes its name from propaganda used by the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1980s, paying tribute to the North of England’s working-class communities and Old Labour’s fight against the boot-licking individualism of Margaret Thatcher’s neoliberal agenda. The record laments how these struggles remain unresolved, and that working-class solidarity is as vital today as it has ever been.
I'm standing back watching the fight between, the things that we disclosed and those that we concealed, I'm running over the bridge to find you, I worry what I have lost and how much it cost. Ironically throughout Cut the Rope, it says to "Never cry", but that was all I wanted to do as soon as the song began. From the first note I was held in the grip of a sadness that I couldn't shake. Musically Cut the Rope has this remarkable way of depicting a cheerful exterior with upbeat drums that carry you through the track, while the guitars seem to reveal the true feelings below, sliding gracefully between positive outward expression and sombre undertones that are kept hidden away. I'm standing tall and claiming ownership, Of the future and my fucking place in it, I'm running over a bridge towards empathy, Open up, talk it out, take this fear from me.
Will you imagine this: A break from those, MAGA pricks? Days of speed, (Though I concede, A lot of them were shit), Darkened rooms, Swelling tunes, mid-week nights, Behind a wall, A toilet stall, We thought that we might die. When Bonny Lad says this EP is full of "Big Choruses and introspective lyricism", they weren't lying. Nostalgia Critique hits the ground running, calling out the current world population for ignoring History and letting it repeat itself as we allow people like Donald Trump and Israel to cause chaos. Johnny lets the frustration push through into his vocals as he leads a crowd chanting chorus. As a proud anti-fascist myself, and a huge fan of social commentary pieces, this kind of track gets me pumped up, with instrumentals designed to get you energized and in the mood for a good old fashioned protest again the Government. Nostalgia Critique is the epitome of the saying 'Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.' The future is upon us, Fuckin wah! Our recall is momentous, What a fuckin waxa!
Said resilience is captured by stunning illustrations by abstract artist and designer, Samitha Perera: the record’s cover capturing the standing pit wheel of Emma Colliery in Tyneside amid scenes of urban destruction. “Sure, mining pit wheels symbolise the losses of the past and the enduring legacy of Thatcher”, says Matt Collins. “But in the same breath, they serve as reminders of the strength of the working-class. Change happens around them, but the Pit Wheels remain, standing tall in the hearts of communities.”
What we had, Was a chance, And a vision, Future totals, Centrist arseholes, Breaking vows and, Evading contrition, Beyond the cavalcade, We ride another wave. From one social commentary to another, we head into The Centre. Unlike Nostalgia Critique, The Centre feels like a mourning for what could have been. With goosebumps front and centre I listened as Bonny Lad pointed out the lost future that we were heading towards, before coming back to the beginning to complete the awful cycle again. Guitars and drums turn desperate as you spiral into a pit of despair, watching the world degrade in front of you. The song ends on an upswing to a feeling of hope as the lyrics change from "had was a chance" to "have
is a chance". The Centre left me with the feeling that if we band together as a collective, we can still right the course of history and finally achieve that world vision that we had previously been heading towards. From the Tyne, To Palestine, The plan unfurls, A better world, Exists within, Our mind.
It's hard to walk, In a straight line, Without a sign, These waves, Are treacherous, My dock line, It could snap, At any time. We finish Hard-Fought with No Fret, which seems to hit the perfect blend of the melodic, skate punk energy, crisp vocals and anthem style lyricism from the previous tracks; pulling in just a touch of the instrumental aspects from Hard-Fought, rounding out the EP in a neat package. I found myself getting lost in the vocals of No Fret with Johnny's smooth and energy sound pulling me in, his accent hitting the lyrics in such a way to create a unique and interesting timbre. Throughout the EP I had the thought that Johnny hits like Tom DeLonge (Blink 182), in which his accent is such a key feature to the music that the songs would be nearly unrecognizable without it. I've been here before, Misery comes in scores, You remain the ones, Best remedies bar none, The mighty winds are blowing, And I am lost at sea.
Bonny Lad will be performing alongside Splitbox and Big Quit for a free event at Grindhouse in Leeds on September 3rd, doors opening at 7pm.
Bonny Lad will also appear at The Salty Dog in Northwich on the 4th of September with Reason To Leave, Guineapigs and The Hunx, doors opening at 7pm.
For Fans Of: Slick Shoes, Rufio and Propagandhi
8.5/10
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