Listen to ... Drastic//Automatic – self-titled
Off the back of two stonking Tramlines Fringe shows, local heroes bring their debut EP kicking and screaming into the world ...
Image credit: Drastic Automatic press pack
Allow me to get right into it with Drastic Automatic. There’s a real sense of gritty, necessary coherence in the EP. Their sound is that of a disaffected trio that’s honed its craft during lockdown, playing to an audience of equally disenfranchised local youths. It’s a story that’s only becoming more prevalent; and one that’s making the Sheffield scene burst at the seams.
Take the title track. It’s a sharp piece of scene setting that manages expectations well. Though it barely lingers past 100 seconds, you’re introduced to the hallmarks the band will inevitable revisit and revitalise throughout the EP: thick bass riffs, distinctly direct guitars and a brutally relentless onslaught of kicks and toms. A strong start that sets the tone for what’s to come.
And that concise opener is all the band need to sink their barbs into your ears. And they do so in a remarkably impactful fashion; without a single second lost, the trio build on their brutal foundations with The Cup Final.
It’s at this point that you might notice two of the band’s defining features. Firstly, they avoid the pitfalls of noise-punk convention. Rather than weaponising three chords and sacrificing meaning for an insurmountable wall of noise, it proves Drastic Automatic aren’t afraid of showing a little feeling. Well, it’s still punk, after all.
It’s something you might savour throughout the EP’s standout tracks – my personal favourites being The Finish Line, Smash Hit for the People and Great West Road. The latter bleeds into a crushing post-punk number that’s more in line with its preceding tracks, before showing restraint and closing on a softer note. Bluetooth similarly proves the band’s versatility.
There are some some capable songwriting chops here; essential, should the band want to dip their toes into different genres. But, for me, Smash Hit stands out the EP’s true workhorse. It’s got just a little more polish, a little more anger and a little more purpose stamped into its chords – likely as it’s the first track the band ever recorded.
The second point I’ve delayed getting to? The whiplash-inducing contrast between the band’s chosen imagery. Without waffling, Smash Hit flicks between visions of nuclear terror and new cold-war paranoia. Just as the more sorrowful Great West Road tugs at your softer side, listen closely and the track’s subject might surprise you.
What’s reassuring is the band’s steadfast sense of self. They know their opener is frantic and almost absurd; but that makes the more purposeful numbers on the EP hit harder still. It’s a truly promising debut that’s managed to standout in an increasingly saturated scene.
So, what do you think? Listen to the EP for yourself and revisit a handful of standout Tramlines artists while you’re at it.