sotah – PERSONAL PUNK

unity, discontent and jorts

SOTAH – Division Line single (feat. Dicky Barrett)

The Gun Violence Archive reported over 600 American mass shootings in the year 2022 alone, with over 20,000 gun related deaths. There is no time for debate. The time for love is now. The time for hate is never.

Gone are the laid-back ska flourishes of last year’s Love/Hate EP. Powered by an insistent, melodic punk motor and Greg Graffin vocal style, this new track from Manchester, NH’s SOTAH increases in passion as it moves through its atmospheric bridge. The vocals of THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES‘ Dicky Barrett lend a meaty, more aggressive slant, accompanied by building guitar spirals, culminating in a stark voiceover. In a time of jaded cynicism amid flourishing societal divisions, a humble song of unity seems like a breath of fresh air.

Released 10th May 2024

https://sotah.bandcamp.com/track/division-line-feat-dicky-barrett

PALE SAILOR – Jorts Season. single

Sheffield’s PALE SAILOR have only been a band for a couple of years, Jorts Season being their second single. Femme vocals straddle sweet vulnerability with stridency on this fetching slice of rumbling, 90s emo. Sharp guitar torque switches between angular, awkward, and churning on a nonchalant, emo-pop chunk, bowing out with an unexpected mess of distortion. One to watch.

Released 31st May 2024

https://palesailor.bandcamp.com/track/jorts-season

BE FAIR – Roddy Piper single

Trust wrestling-referencing Sheffielders BE FAIR to take me back to, erm, 00s Leeds – oh, how I miss you, Out Of Spite festival – with a mix of rough-hewn crunch, versatile vocals, and emo(tional) subtlety. The bridge is a considered delight, the throaty chorus and vein-popping final build rousing; yeah, BE FAIR seemingly have it all. Along with Montreal Screwjob and Hadfield 5, Roddy Piper completes a three-track EP of passionate, gruff punk peppered with emo nuance. Cracking.

Released 24th May 2024

Header photo: BE FÀIR

less is more

From across the pond in Manchester, New Hampshire, this four-track EP is SOTAH’s first full release. Formed two years ago as a “self-healing solo project” for Casey Daron outside of his main band AFTERIMAGE, following a rough patch in his life, the band now consists of Casey’s long-time friend Johnny Deschamps on drums, brother Killian on bass, and the recently recruited Zoe Pankratz-Harvey-Olsen on lead guitar.

On this EP at least, the title track is SOTAH’s only concession to pacy punk rock. There are harmonies, a pounding bridge and a wholly unexpected widdly guitar solo, but where they excel – and I never thought I’d say this – is in the slick ska of the other three tracks. Before it gets too laid-back though, Better Than You comes in with a nifty BAD RELIGION-style guitar hook, mixing in some cool ska, before going all shouty at the end. Okay, so you might do a double-take when the loungy trumpet interrupts proceedings, but it works a treat. The gentle ska of Sotah fair crackles with songwriting prowess, dispensing with all but the smallest semblances of punk, a measured, emotional highlight. The minimal warm brass returns for the SPECIALS-y, keyboard-propelled Shadow, seeing this brief EP out in fine style.

Way more laid-back than I’m used to, Love/Hate‘s steadfast refusal to go down the overdone ‘pickitup, pickitup‘ ska-punk route went some way to winning me over but, ultimately, it’s SOTAH’s measured approach to song-writing that sealed the deal. An unexpected treat.

Released on 8th September 2023

PERSONAL PUNK

Tag: sotah

REVIEWS – SOTAH, PALE SAILOR, BE FAIR