BIG PUSSY ENERGY: THE SEWER CATS ARE STILL MAD AT THE WORLD ON ALBUM NUMBER TWO
ALBUM REVIEW | THE SEWER CATS – OBNOXIOUS by Craig Harston 4/5
DIY punk darlings The Sewer Cats have been playing the Manchester punk scene for a few years now. Bringing their brand of stripped back, ferocious punk rock to grassroots venues such as The Peer Hat, Rebellion and Preston’s The Ferret, as well as tearing it up at festivals including Manchester Punk Festival and Wotsit Called Festival, they released their first album, ‘Cute Aggression‘ in 2022. 2024 sees the release of their sophomore album, ‘Obnoxious‘.
Picking up where ‘Cute Aggression’ left off, ‘Obnoxious’ continues Cass (vocals, drums) and Josh’s (guitar, backing vocals) scathing social commentary on how fucked up the world is, once again providing an outlet and voice for the disenfranchised in the UK.
Opener ‘Boo Hoo!’ and the title track are a brutal shout out to women embracing their feminism and smashing the patriarchy – ‘Obnoxious’ in particular is absolutely relentless, featuring some lovely dirty guitar that gets increasingly faster as the song goes along. Elsewhere, first single ‘Get It’ is a banging take on the cost of living crisis, noting how those who have money don’t seem to understand how hard it is for those who don’t. It’s got a melodic guitar line during the verses while the chanting of “get it” goes hard in the choruses!
The Sewer Cats have always been proud of their DIY aesthetic and two songs here are shout outs to this. ‘Star & Garter’ is a superfast ode to the Manchester venue; one which has hosted many up and coming bands over the years, but the song also calls out those who are more about trying to make it than just enjoying what they do. It kicks off with a crunchy guitar riff and features Cass and Josh shouting out the chorus, “Put down the lights, Put up the volume, Big shot boys, You’re never gonna make it!”. Album closer ‘Our Band Could Be Your Life’ celebrates how much Cass and Josh mean to each other and has a more laid back grungy sound.Not afraid to get a little melancholy, ‘You Can Not Be Serious’ is a chilled affair compared to much of the rest of the album, building to a crescendo as it closes, demonstrating the emotions we go through following a break up and we find out the other person has moved on sooner than expected. ‘Parasites’ on the other hand gets a bit rock ‘n’ roll with a great melody throughout and Cass’s best vocals on the album – which is saying something as her vocal range is so immense she often sounds like she’s singing alongside herself!
One of the great things about the underground punk scene is that many bands aren’t afraid to say it like it is and The Sewer Cats are no exception with ‘Obnoxious’. It’s a pissed off punch to the face, hard-hitting and relevant to the world we currently inhabit, with every song here sure to go down well in a live setting.
‘Obnoxious’ releases on 20th September via TNS Records and The Sewer Cats will be embarking on an album release tour this October. The vinyl is available to purchase and features a vinyl only bonus in Defibrillator – available here.
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