There’s always that one album. The one that appears right after you’ve finished your year-end list. It’s the kind of record where, from the first song, you know it’s a sure fit among your favorite records of the year.
What a debut from Fresh Specimen this is! An earlier split single with Stay Put already suggested that the band from Falmouth (UK) was onto something special. Naturally. the involvement of Charlie Murphy (Internal Credit, Murph & The Gazorpos, Freak Genes, The Red Cords, Life Forms, Nerve Centre Records etc.) adds to the anticipation. Together with Cora Stocker, Roo Pescod (Bangers), Hannah Gledhill (H. Grimace), & Ed Koral, Murphy fully lives up to the high expectations. This self-titled debut is something else.
Fresh Specimen is a varied record, it’s like a classic dish with surprising twists. Various songs offer garage-like pop-punk, a bit like a modern version of late ’70s UK punk, the kind you’d expect on Dirtnap Records. Examples are the stunning opener Sinking Myself and Waves Come. Or listen to Bargain Amber with a chorus I can’t get enough of. Powerpop’n’roll is also accounted for, particularly in the rockin’ Abandoned Handbags, which fans of The Replacements and The Only Ones, or more recently The New Brutarians, will appreciate. Return Of The Lynx is another track whose coordinates point towards ’80s Minneapolis. There are also several songs, especially in the second half of the record, that tilt more towards post-punk and new wave. The outsider track The Way I Look At You takes you right back to the ’80s. By the end, I can only say: Damn, this record is good!
Apparently, Fresh Specimen was recorded back in 2020. I can’t believe they’ve been able to postpone its release for so long. It is a record you want to share with all your friends.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
