Rising from Hastings, England, Punk quartet Kid Kapichi unveils their third album There Goes The Neighbourhood (Spinefarm Records), the blunt and cheeky follow-up to 2022’s Here’s What You Could Have Won. The album maintains the distinct personality the group is known for, utilizing it to present their political ideologies while keeping the music light and fun.
“Let’s Get To Work” is a forthright callout to the normalization of working one’s life away to a danceable earworm groove. The song is just as encouraging as it is brutally honest, with lyrics like “‘Cause you’re a diamond in the rough, and you’re made of tougher stuff” and the comical “You’re not a has-been, you’re a Heinz bean.” A track like this will have you laughing, dancing, and questioning authority all at once. Then there’s the raging “999” wielding the angriest singalong hook of the album, commanding society to stand up and fight for their rights.
As fitting as the talk-singing vocal style is for each song, some more variety could do this band good as it starts to get a bit too redundant for the third record. However, the instrumentals are another story. “Zombie Nation” radiates Halloween vibes with a spooky keyboard and imminent bass line. “Angeline” is like its more upbeat twin that is mesmerized by love while preserving the uncanny ambience.
Penultimate track “Oliver Twist” opens with instruments and effects that sound like they had too much to drink, while providing the perfect beat for a tired yet spunky tune. The stripped-down acoustic “Jimi” then closes the album. Frontman Jack Wilson narrates his memories with his late childhood friend to soft guitar strums, ending the record on a bittersweet note.
The deeper you dig into There Goes The Neighbourhood, the more raw emotion there is to find in the group’s plainspoken commentary on the state of the world. While Kid Kapichi can be accurately categorized as a post-Punk party band, their songs are also a call to action, along with the occasional melancholic tearjerker thrown in.
Buy the album here:
https://www.kidkapichi.com/
7 / 10
COLLEEN KANOWSKY