Bullitz 23 – Burn EP
7″ | CD | DL | Streaming
Out 2nd Aug 2024. Pre-orders live
The exuberant second EP by Bullitz 23 continues in a similar vein to their debut. Punk and Celtic influences fuse with a touch of soul and a Motown back beat in songs penned by former Ex-Cathedra and Suicide Bid front man Andi Chalmers. Reviewed by Nathan Brown.
Here we have the second EP from Bullitz, 23 following the debut Ballad of Jim Bones which we made Single Of The Week last November. Bullitz 23, led by Andi Chalmers, who made his name with Ex-Cathedra and Suicide Bid, have made good on the promise of more to come.
Lead song Burn carries on much like their debut, with a hint of Pogues in the background of this dancey punk tune. It scans like an autobiographical tale of a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who constantly ends up in trouble and can’t wait to escape the suffocation of small town life. The brass section gives this an Iberian flavour, or is that the long shadow cast by Dexy’s Midnight Runners and their brash take on soul? In the spirit of pop music of old the catchy chorus gets a reprise at the end after a one breath pause.
Ahead of release day they’ve made a short snippet available
Karma harks back to the sound of Andi’s old mob Ex-Cathedra with the universal justice of the title being visited upon a cop:
“No escape for the boy in blue. Karma’s catching up on you”.
Backing vocals enhance the mood and an arpeggio on the guitar takes centre stage through like the ghost of The Clash’s I’m So Bored With the U.S.A and the Pistols’ Pretty Vacant. The middle 8 is signalled by a MacGowan-esque scream with a twin guitar lead break, after which the catchy chorus returns for an extended coda.
Still Not Dead is a wee tribute to all in our punk rock tribe who never gave up and stuck with it. It carries a staple punk message that has shone out since Personality Crisis, Wanna Be Me and Identity – be yourself!
“We’re more than the clothes that we wear
It’s not just the colour of our hair
Be who you are – shine out bright
You know deep down what is right”
Wattie from the Exploited sang “Punk’s Not Dead” back in 1981. It still ain’t, whether it’s DIY gigs, organising Food Not Bombs or the opinion splitting Rebellion and Punk Rock Bowling festivals. Still Not Dead is a toe tapping upbeat number with a touch of SLF, the jangle of a Mick Jones guitar and there’s a taste of the Ruts’ faster songs about it.
In a way, this trio of songs fit neatly in a rebellious narrative. Punks don’t fit in, they never give up. They’ve “gotta gotta get away” and be themselves, and then find they are on the receiving end of police oppression. Never mind, the cops will get their comeuppance.
Something about the backbeat to all of these songs reminded me of Motown, and then there’s that brass… When pressed, Andi confessed to loving a bit of Dexy’s first album. I also recall that Ex-Cathedra covered Geno back in the day, y’know). It all makes sense. Searching For the Punk Soul Rebels.
The CD version comes with a bonus track. Punk-metal guitarist Gizz Butt of English Dogs and The Prodigy fame lays hot licks over the demo version of Burn.
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Words by Nathan Brown. Read more from Nathan on his Louder Than War archive over here.
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