Album Review: Panic Shack by Panic Shack

This absolute riot of a full-length debut by Cardiff upstarts Panic Shack is precisely what it sounds like - the unvarnished soul of five mates having a laugh. Both the lyrics, infusing everyday observations with caustic wit, and the sound of the album will invite comparisons with Kathleen Hanna's oeuvre, with the band as much at home with stomping pop-rock (Tit School; Do Something) as they are inflecting their sound with some squelchy electronics (Lazy). The freewheeling spirit of everybody from Ramones to Ex Hex is a sonic constant on Panic Shack, allowing them to tackle myriad topics with droll lyrics that are frequently laugh out loud, from Unhinged - comprised entirely of actual lines from Hinge profiles - to Pockets, a brilliant lament of fashion choices making bags a necessity.

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Within about 10 seconds of Panic Shack's debut album erupting in your ear lobes you know this band are The Real Deal. Unbelievably entertaining guitar pop that fuses Ramones style chug with clipped Buzzcocks guitar lines, the Cardiff band blend this with lyrics that are thought-provoking and side-splittingly funny in equal measure. A debut album that is extremely difficult to fault, Panic Shack aim for all-killer and no-filler.

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This self-titled album from Welsh punks Panic Shack can only really be described as a fun time. It's a record that has very much chosen its lane and stays in it - but it's a lane the quartet master with ease, the camaraderie between them so tangible it charms, where the likes of 'Lazy' and 'Tit School' could threaten monotony. Opener 'Girl Band Starter Pack' includes field recordings of the group in the bar pre-gig and that sense of grounding is an excellent vehicle to situate the songs within their specific environment.

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