If you’re a fan of an unpolished thrashing of balls-to-wall guitars, incessant drumming patterns and infectious hooks then Trend Setter, the latest 8-track offering by southern-Sydney dudes Nerdlinger is your bag.
With pop-punk sensibilities and a forthright rock and roll stance, the EP’s sound is akin to an Australian rascal birthed as the result of a drunken ménage à trois between Pennywise’s driving guitars, the vocals of No Use For A Name and NOFX’s elementary humour.
Opening with a low-fi cocaine-focused YouTube sample, we’re launched into the first single off the release Hostages, a catchy optimistic number.
A quick 55-second smash of an ode to Pennywise and we’re into the tempo-crazed beast that is Breaking Murphy’s Law. It rings in gently with sparse guitars and mostly solo vocals. Suddenly a Mexican roll-up appears, horns and percussion included. The pace is more than doubled, the drums roll relentlessly and the guitars melt your brain. A belter of a track.
Fifth track and latest single Not Like You is a minute and a half of abrasive insinuations and a sweet guitar solo, which ends to make way for the catchy hook-laden Twenty Five – a seemingly more radio friendly track with memorable harmonies and classic pop-punk guitars.
The Wild-western intro of Six Point 2 Degrees appears as yet another right turn; with the horns reintroduced and a plodding baseline that soon assimilates into pumping guitars and bold chorus statements of “I’m right where I belong”.
Unfriends Forever is just a thrashing 17-second reminder that no, they don’t need your fucking friendship, and from the opening growl of EP closer Fine Lines (Fuck Harmony) you’re moving with affliction as the verbal cajoling of ‘walk away… turn your back, fuck your harmony, we don’t need it anyway’ rings through riotously.
Every so often, you come across a release that’s purpose is to be thrust from a tower of speakers upon a sweaty pit of greasy hair and saturated bodies. After sitting in a silent reflection to regather all sense of cohesion – it’s clear this EP is one of them.
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‘Trend Setter’ is out August 7th, 2015 Via Bandcamp & MGM Distribution. Head here for deets on their upcoming tour.
Watch – Nerdlinger – Hostages
