Cheap Stuff / High Society - Old Friends On Wax

Contra Records

 

I just finished up my review of the Grade 2 and Saints & Sinners split EP and already another Contra Records split hits the American-oi.com HQ! This time it’s between ‘old friends’ Cheap Stuff and High Society, both hailing from Germany, and of course it’s ‘on’ 7” ‘wax’. It only seemed natural to give this melodic punkrock explosion the title “Old Friends On Wax”!

 

Cheap Stuff and High Society have a lot in common. Besides being from the same country, releasing records on the same label and operating in the same musical genre, their sound is almost identical as well on this slab-o-wax. I am reviewing this record while listening to it on my phone and since my ‘smartphone’ isn’t so ‘smart’, it fucked up the track list and often left me wondering what band I was listening to if I didn’t check my screen. Is this a bad thing though? It would be if both bands played an absolute horrible form of ultra-melodic punkrock (with hints of streetpunk), but they don’t, they’re great actually!

 

That last sentence might make it come over as if I am surprised about this and to be honest, I am. Especially on Cheap Stuff’s end, their debut LP “Live And Die In The Prison Of Life” (2006) didn’t really get to me (although I have two copies of it for some reason) so I automatically lost my interest in them, but “Nine Fingers Boy” and “Kiss The Clouds” on here are full of power and straight-up punkrock anthems! But as said, with an identical sound I am happy to say this counts for High Society’s “Circle Vs. Line” and “Here Are Your Enemies” as well. Great stuff on both sides of the vinyl!

 

If you are into melodic, anthemic and energetic punkrock, check this record out!