Today is extremely loaded with new releases. One I looked forward to the most is the debut full-length from a band that released one of my favorite singles of 2020, the phenomenal Melbourne punkband Civic. The A-side to that single, Radiant Eye, is the opening track on Future Forecasts. I’ve just listened to the rest of record and I’m floored. I could write a long post, but I am pretty sure many much bigger outlets will cover this. I hope they do, because this is a record that deserves to be heard. In short, Civic play late 70’s punkrock infused with awesome guitar riffs and solo’s and the intensity of bands like MC5 and the Stooges. A sound like that could overstay its welcome, with the songs becoming one giant blur of noise, but Civic sidesteps that pitfall on Future Forecasts, by adding plenty of variety in pace and intensity. For example, the awesome groovy rocker As Seen On TV is sandwiched between two straight up punk jams Another Day and Just A Fix. And what is perhaps the darkest sounding track on the record (Shake Like Death) is followed by the much brighter and very fun Back To You. Civic have manufactured an electric listening experience and musthave for my record collection. They set the bar high for punk releases in 2021, and I am sure Future Forecasts will end up in many AOTY lists.
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