Control / Harrington Saints - Pick Your Poison

Longshot Music / Randale Records / Pirates Press Records

 

Responsible for a whole slew of split EP’s in the past, the boys from Control and Harrington Saints now combined forces on their latest slab of wax “Pick Your Poison”. Released through Longshot, Randale and Pirates Press, both bands deliver two brand new tracks of ass-kickin’, punk and Oi! fury!

 

First up is Control. Released in the same month as their dazzling fourth album “United In Blood”, of which I am still recovering from, the British lads strike down with two more attacks of good old hooligan rock ‘n’ roll on “Pick Your Poison”! Definitely praiseworthy that the quantity is of top-quality as well, because after the sixteen(!) tracks on “United In Blood”, “Helltown” and “The Morning After The Riot Before” are absolutely cracking as well! The typical Control sound is packing punches as ever before and the choruses are simply brilliant again, having you sing along in no-time! Those who say British punk is old and boring obviously never gave Control a go, because their sound is fun and exciting!

 

On the flipside you’ll find the Harrington Saints. Unlike Control, the boys from the Bay Area aren’t as active anymore as they were in their early days, but their last feats of arms, the “Upright Citizen” single (2014) and the “Fish & Chips” 10” (2015), were still as classy as ever. For “Pick Your Poison” they kicked the pace up a notch, as “This Is Not A Country” and “Four Walls” are two short, fast-paced punk attacks with a hardcore edge! Not sure if I ever heard the Saints like this before, but they pull it off without a doubt.

 

Side A or side B? Time to pick your poison! Though I wouldn’t skip neither side if I was you!