Van Dammes - Risky Business

Here's one I think regular readers of this blog will really dig. Van Dammes hail from Helsinki, Finland and fall towards the poppier end of the garage-punk spectrum. Out now on Germany's Rockstar Records, their latest EP dishes out the perfect mix of melody, rawness, and pure energy with a touch of organ to boot. It all makes for one highly infectious cocktail! This is super-catchy stuff, yet it's got a scruffiness to it that might appeal even to people who aren't ordinarily into power pop or pop-punk. The title track reminded me of The Kidnappers, and I was basically hooked from there. It's rare to hear a band play with this much speed and force and still keep all of that melody in tact. And the enthusiasm fueling these songs is palpable. These guys must be a blast to see live! Thankfully "I Don't Like Music Anymore" is just a song title and not a statement of intent. The six killer tracks on Risky Business have sure left me wanting more!

  
-L.R.

https://rockstarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/risky-business 
https://www.facebook.com/vandammesmusic/ 
https://www.facebook.com/rockstar.empire