DAVES – An Ode To Upper Management CD (Little Rocket Records)

If you have been keeping a close eye on the UK DIY scene lately, you know that Leeds is currently a pressure cooker of incredible talent. It’s a city that has always understood the assignment when it comes to blending spirit with intelligence, and the DAVES is the latest group to emerge from that northern powerhouse. This three-piece melodic punk rock outfit has just dropped their debut full-length, An Ode to Upper Management, and honestly, it is exactly what the DIY scene needs right now. Released on March 1st, 2026, fittingly enough on St. David’s Day, this 9-track collection exemplifies how to be confrontational without losing your sense of melody. The first thing that grabs you about An Ode to Upper Management is the raw punk attitude that saturates every second of the recording. They sound like a band thrashing it out in a rehearsal space, yet they possess a modern post-hardcore edge that keeps it feeling fresh and relevant. The title itself is a brilliant bit of wordplay, acting as both a sincere nod to their better halves who keep the wheels turning and a sharp critique of the hierarchical structures we all have to navigate in our daily lives. That duality of personal gratitude and social frustration makes this material so excellent.

When you dive into the vocal performance, you quickly realize that DAVES isn’t your average “three chords and a shout” punk band. The lead vocals are soulful, passionate, and incredibly emotional. The blend of vulnerability and aggression makes this performance even more appealing to the ears. With the additional back vocals and sing-alongs, it really pulls you into a whirlwind and forces you to sing with them. These layers create a communal vibe that makes you want to join the fray. It’s that classic punk rock trick of making the listener feel like part of the band, and DAVES executes it with perfection. The guitar work carries more than enough melody to satisfy the pop-punk crowd while maintaining a level of aggression that will please the hardcore purists. We are talking about excellent, catchy, and highly memorable chord progressions that serve as the bedrock for every track. The riffs are engaging and consciously constructed, avoiding the trap of mindless speed for the sake of speed. Instead, the guitar melodies act as hooks that stay lodged in your ears long after the final chord has rung out. There is a distinct post-hardcore influence in the way the guitars interact with the space in the songs, allowing for a more thought-provoking listening experience than your standard four-on-the-floor punk record.

Of course, a power trio is only as good as its rhythm section, and the engine room of DAVES is absolutely locked in. The bass guitar provides more than necessary groove, depth, and clarity. It doesn’t just sit in the background.  It’s a living, breathing entity that binds the melodic guitar flourishes to the percussive assault. You can hear every note, every run, and every transition with perfect clarity, exemplifying both the playing and the production. The bass acts as the glue that keeps the sound massive, even when the guitar breaks away for a lead or a more atmospheric passage. The drummer keeps everything in line with such precision while simultaneously dictating a pace that feels like a runaway freight train. You get a steady diet of well-accentuated beats, but the band also throws in plenty of breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics that keep the listener on their toes. The drums are an active participant in the storytelling, accentuating the emotional highs and lows of the lyrics.

Thematically, DAVES is a band with a lot on its mind. They aren’t interested in writing songs about nothing. An Ode to Upper Management is an exploration of the hierarchy of life, those invisible (and sometimes very visible) structures that dictate how we live, work, and interact. The lyrics are confrontational and designed to challenge the status quo, yet they are delivered through music that is inherently catchy. It’s a “sugar-coated pill” approach to social commentary. You come for the hooks, but you stay for the message. They touch upon the idea of comradeship, the necessity of a support system, and the friction of modern existence in a way that feels incredibly sincere. An Ode to Upper Management is a must for any true fan of melodic punk rock and alternative music. It’s an exceptional debut that proves you don’t need a million bells and whistles to make a profound statement, you just need three people, a lot of passion, and something important to say. DAVES is ready to take on the world, and after listening to this record, you’ll likely be ready to follow them.

Leeds has given us a lot of great bands over the decades, but DAVES feels like they are carrying a particularly bright torch. This is honest, energetic, and highly intelligent music that deserves a spot in your rotation. Do yourself a favor and check this one out immediately.

Ugly Criers – Catching Spiders CD (Little Rocket Records)

The United Kingdom has consistently remained one of the most vital global epicenters for punk rock music, with specific regions developing their own distinct, highly recognizable sonic fingerprints. When you examine the lineage of the Sunderland punk scene, you uncover a rich history of bands prioritizing raw emotion, gritty realism, and definite melody over flashy commercialism. Ugly Criers carry this torch into 2026, a power trio that has mastered the art of doing more with less. Their latest compact disc offering, Catching Spiders, exemplifies straightforward, honest, and highly emotive music. By stripping away all unnecessary studio trickery and relying entirely on the core trinity of guitar, bass, and drums, the band has crafted an intimately relatable record. Recorded over a three-day session in July 2025 at Rocket Studios under the watchful eye of producer Graeme Philliskirk, a man whose resume includes legendary Northern acts like Roach Squad, Leatherface, and Bull Taco, this album perfectly captures the raw energy of a band thrashing it out in a sweaty basement. The production is completely transparent, allowing the natural grit and character of the instruments to shine through while maintaining a modern, punchy standard.

Lyrically, Catching Spiders completely bypasses the tired, cliché tropes of youthful rebellion or broad political sloganeering. Instead, Ugly Criers turn their conceptual lens sharply inward, focusing on the brutal, often exhausting realities of navigating modern adulthood. The lyrical framework of this record is exceptionally grounded and deeply poetic, which makes perfect sense considering the words are pulled directly from the poetry of drummer Nina Mackie and the creative mind of guitarist Greg Robson. Throughout the album’s runtime, the band explores highly relatable themes that resonate deeply with anyone trying to keep their head above water. They tackle the overwhelming, daily pressure of coping as a parent, dissecting the anxiety and unconditional love that comes with raising a child in an unpredictable world. They navigate the treacherous waters of relationship woes, offering a brutally honest look at the miscommunications and heartbreaks that occur between partners. Perhaps most poignantly, the band dives headfirst into the struggles of mental health, brilliantly conceptualized as battling the toys in your own head. This is working-class poetry delivered over overdriven amplifiers, making the entire listening experience incredibly cathartic for the everyday individual.

The vocal performance on this CD serves as the absolute perfect vehicle for such heavy emotional baggage. The lead delivery is marvelous, possessing a subtle, gravelly touch of genuine and lived-in rawness. When the emotional intensity of the lyrics demands a higher gear, the vocals break into a passionate, shouty register. These aggressive vocal outbursts perfectly convey the frustration, desperation, and exhaustion described in the lyrics, making sure that the listener feels every single word. However, the true magic of the Ugly Criers’ vocal attack lies in their brilliant use of contrast. Threaded throughout the gritty lead performances are highly catchy, anthemic additional female vocals. These harmonious sing-alongs provide a stunning, uplifting counterpoint to the rawness of the lead, elevating the choruses into massive, stadium-sized earworms. The interplay between the gruff lead and the melodic backing vocals ensures that these arrangements remain firmly lodged in your listening apparatus long after the CD stops spinning.

Operating as a three-piece band is a highly demanding endeavor. There is absolutely zero room for error, sloppy playing, or filler material, as there are no backing tracks or secondary guitarists to hide behind. The six-string execution on Catching Spiders is exceptional, expertly filling the entire sonic spectrum. You are treated to highly catchy, memorable, and engaging chord progressions that form the undeniable backbone of the classic Sunderland melodic punk sound. Instead of relying solely on simplistic, repetitive power chords, the guitar work frequently utilizes intricate, arpeggiated chord progressions and highly kinetic riffs. These sonic maneuvers provide a massive amount of melody and harmony, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that a band can achieve a huge, rich soundscape with just one guitar. The tone is perfectly saturated, distorted enough to provide the necessary punk rock bite, but clean enough to allow every single note in the arpeggios to ring out clearly. A power trio relies entirely on a rock-solid rhythm section to maintain its structural integrity, and Ugly Criers boast a truly phenomenal duo holding down the low end. The bass guitar offers tremendous groove, depth, and clarity, entirely avoiding the amateur trap of simply mirroring the root notes of the guitar riffs. The basslines are warm, articulate, and highly active, acting as the crucial binding agent between the soaring melodic leads and the heavy percussive foundation.

Speaking of the percussive foundation, the drumming performance is the racing heartbeat of the entire record. The percussion keeps everything perfectly in line while expertly dictating the relentless groove and pace of the album. The drum tracking is loaded with well-accentuated beats, clever, unexpected breaks, and highly dynamic fills. There are plenty of percussive acrobatics that keep the energy levels redlined and the listener completely engaged, yet the playing remains incredibly tasteful, always serving the needs of the song first and foremost. Catching Spiders exemplifies straightforward, honest, and highly effective songwriting. By stripping away all pretense and focusing purely on the core elements of bass, drums, guitar, and truthful lyricism, Ugly Criers have crafted an incredibly thrilling piece of art. If you are a true fan of punk rock that speaks directly to the struggles of real life while keeping your head nodding and your foot tapping, this CD is a must listen. It is simple, effective, and deeply resonant. Ugly Criers have delivered a phenomenal record that demands your full attention, proving that sometimes the most profound musical statements are made in a sweaty basement with just three instruments.

Leatherface – Peel Sessions LP (Little Rocket Records)

If you’ve spent any time at all browsing Thoughts Words Action, you know that my respect for the Sunderland scene begins and ends with one name: Leatherface. There are bands that play punk rock, and then there are bands that are punk rock, with that sound like they were forged in a shipyard and tempered in a pub at 2 AM. When we talk about the history of the UK melodic punk rock underground, these guys are a foundational pillar. So, when the opportunity arises to talk about the Peel Sessions LP, we are talking about a time capsule. We are talking about the collision of one of the greatest melodic punk bands to ever walk the earth and the undisputed gatekeeper of musical counter-culture, the legendary John Peel. This LP captures three distinct sessions recorded at the BBC Maida Vale Studios during the 90s, and let me tell you, it is a haunting, beautiful, and ferocious document of a band at the absolute peak of their powers. There is something mystical about the BBC Maida Vale studios. For those who aren’t familiar with the history, being invited by John Peel to record a session wasn’t just an ordinary gig. It meant your music had something, a spark, that bypassed the mainstream filters. For a band from Sunderland, entering those hallowed halls must have felt like a surreal pivot from the local clubs to the heart of the musical establishment, yet the beauty of Leatherface is that they never sounded like they were trying to fit in.

The sound captured on these sessions is something that simply cannot be replicated in a modern home studio. It has that chiselled in stone quality. It’s raw, live, and carries that specific BBC air, a combination of world-class equipment and a get-it-done haste that forced bands to play with a level of intensity they might not find in a pampered, months-long recording session. On this LP, you can practically hear the ghosts of the studio walls vibrating along with the amplifiers. Leatherface has always been defined by a very specific duality. On one hand, you have the sheer abrasiveness. The guitars on this LP carry that texture. They are thick, distorted, and heavy, carrying the weight of the industrial North. But then, there’s the melody. This isn’t the sweet pop-punk melody, but a weathered and triumphant melodic sensibility that feels well deserved. Throughout these three sessions, you can hear the band’s evolution, yet the core remains untouched. The guitar work is legendary for a reason. It’s complex, incorporating intricate leads around driving power chords, creating a loud and sophisticated wall of sound. These sessions highlight those guitar works perfectly. The live-to-tape nature of the Peel recordings means there is nowhere to hide. Every note of those cascading riffs is laid bare, and the band sounds tighter than a clenched fist.

The rhythm section provides the essential heartbeat. The bass is warm and prominent, providing a melodic counterpoint to the guitars rather than just following them, while the drumming is a relentless engine. It’s propulsive, dragging the listener through the heady days of radio at breakneck speed. If you are a fan of melodic punk rock, you know that the Leatherface vocal style is the gold standard. It is soulful, gravelly, and drenched in a poetic working-class melancholy. Hearing these performances in the context of a Peel Session adds a layer of closeness. There is a sincere, sandpaper-rough quality, rarely heard on the punk rock scene nowadays. On these recordings, the emotional weight of the lyricism shines through. Leatherface were always a poetic band, but never in a pretentious way. Their stories are about life, loss, and the struggle to remain human in a world that wants to grind you down. In the vacuum of the Maida Vale studios, away from the distractions of a standard studio production, that sincerity is amplified to the max. You can hear the strain, the passion, and the genuine belief in every word. It’s a soulful performance that reminds you why this band has influenced so many renowned bands that still play today. The Peel Sessions LP is an epic sonic voyage through the early career of a band that refused to compromise. By spanning different sessions across the ’90s, the record allows us to hear their growth, yet the Leatherface sound is so distinct that it remains a cohesive experience from scratch to finish.

John Peel had a gift for picking artists and bands who were timeless, and listening to this LP decades later, it’s clear he was right about these Sunderland legends. This music doesn’t sound dated. It doesn’t belong to a specific trend of the 90s. It sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday or forty years ago. It is musical stone, as I like to say. For those who grew up huddled around a radio, waiting for the crackle of a Peel Session to debut a new favourite band, this LP will have such a big value, while the younger fans will find an essential listen that explains why Leatherface were such a legendary melodic punk rock band. It shows how you can be melodic without being soft, and how you can be aggressive without being mindless. If you call yourself a punk rock fan and you don’t own a Leatherface record, you have a hole in your soul that needs filling, and if you want to hear them at their most unfiltered, the Peel Sessions LP is the way to do it. It captures their tremendous energy, the incredible musicianship, and the soulful grit of a band that John Peel himself recognized as something truly special. This is a mandatory purchase for the collectors, dreamers, and punk rockers in basement bands who want to know how it’s actually done. Leatherface in the 90s was a force of nature, and thanks to Mr Peel and the BBC, that storm has been preserved for all of us to experience. Sunderland’s finest have never sounded more vital. This is melodic punk rock in its purest, most honest form. Don’t let this one pass you by. Head to Little Rocket Records for more information about ordering this gem.

#LEATHERFACE #LITTLEROCKETRECORDS #melodicPunkRock #MUSIC #PUNKROCK #REVIEWS

Roach Squad – Roach Squad LP (Little Rocket Records)

If you’ve spent any significant amount of time digging through the crates or scouring the digital archives of Thoughts Words Action, you know that there is a very specific subgenre of melodic punk rock that hits you squarely in the chest. It’s that grit-under-the-fingernails, gravel-in-the-throat sound that flourished in the nineties and early 2000s, often dubbed “orgcore” by the internet pundits, but known to the rest of us as just damn good songwriting. Today, I’m diving into the self-titled LP from Roach Squad, an international collective of a long-lost brotherhood finally finding its way home. When you see the DNA involved here, veterans from legendary outfits like Leatherface, The Sainte Catherines, and The Murderburgers, you already know the bar is set incredibly high. But let’s be clear, this isn’t a supergroup vanity project, but a classic sound wrapped in modern production without losing original fire. The production captures the rawness of a basement show in Sunderland or Montreal, but also a clarity that modern technology allows. This record carries those abrasive, sandpaper-textured properties of nineties melodic punk, but it’s polished just enough to let the intricacies of the performances shine through.

The guitar work on this record is, frankly, spectacular. We’re talking about a duality hard to find in modern bands. On one hand, you have these heavy, crushing chord progressions that provide a thick wall of sound, the stuff that makes you want to lean into the monitor at a show. On the other hand, there’s an incredible sense of melody. The themes, melodies, and harmonies are catchy, weaving in and out of the aggression. It reminds me of the best moments of the UK melodic scene mixed with that frantic, North American energy. And speaking of storytelling, the lyricism here is top-tier. This isn’t your standard pizza and skateboards punk rock. There is a poetic, sincere, and deeply emotional core to these songs. It feels like reading a well-worn diary of someone who has seen the world, suffered the bruises, and lived to write about it. It’s storytelling in its purest form, set to a tempo that refuses to let you sit still. You can’t talk about this album without mentioning the vocal performance. It is, in a word, soulful. There is a gravelly, passionate delivery here that instantly brings to mind the greats of the genre. It’s the voice that sounds like it’s been cured in cigarette smoke and late-night tour van conversations, yet it remains incredibly vulnerable. You can hear the sincerity in every rasp and every elongated note. It’s a performance that doesn’t hide behind effects, it stands front and center, demanding that you listen to the weight of the words.

The basslines are a particular highlight for me. They have this warm, analog growl that adds a massive amount of depth to the compositions. Instead of just following the guitars, the bass provides a groovy, melodic counterpoint that makes the songs feel full. It’s that classic orgcore warmth, thick enough to feel in your ears but agile enough to keep the pace. The drumming is equally impressive. It’s propulsive and powerful, acting as the engine that pushes these songs into new heights. There’s a technicality there that stays hidden behind the sheer force of the performance, it’s busy when it needs to be, but always serves the song first. When the band hits those high-energy peaks, the percussion makes the hair on your arms stand up. Roach Squad captures some of my favorite melodic punk rock elements: aggression, melody, and heart. It’s an album that will immediately resonate with fans of the gruff-voiced, emotional punk rock that came out of the Little Rocket Records, No Idea Records, or Jade Tree eras, but it doesn’t feel like a nostalgia trip. It feels more like a band taking the lessons learned from decades on the road and distilling them into twelve or so tracks of pure, undiluted punk rock gold.

Whether you call it melodic punk, emo-adjacent, or orgcore, the labels don’t really matter when the songs are this strong. This is music for the long drives, the late nights, and the moments when you need punk rock music that can still be sophisticated and poetic without losing its edge. It’s rare to find a record that feels this cohesive, especially with an international lineup, but the chemistry here is undeniable. It’s a must-listen for anyone who misses the days when melodic punk had some dirt on its face and something heavy on its mind. Roach Squad LP is a raw, melodic, and deeply moving record. If you’ve ever found yourself shouting along to a chorus in a crowded room with a beer in your hand and a lump in your throat, this is the record you’ve been waiting for. Don’t sleep on this one, it’s easily one of the most vital melodic punk releases of 2025. Roach Squad has the soul of the global underground. Grab a copy, crank the volume, and let these songs do what they were meant to do: break your heart and put it back together again. Head to Little Rocket Records for more information about ordering.

#EMO #LITTLEROCKETRECORDS #melodicPunkRock #MUSIC #ORGCORE #PUNKROCK #REVIEWS #ROACHSQUAD

currently treating the neighbours to Leatherface The Peel Sessions on Little Rocket Records

as Peel Sessions go it's pretty much flawless despite the omission of Not Superstitious from Mush

#Leatherface #LeatherfacePunk #PeelSessions #LittleRocketRecords #FrankieStubbs #DickieHammond #NP #NowPlaying #UKHC #Music 🎧