SINGLE REVIEW: Stolen Dead Music – 1956
‘1956’ doesn’t pull punches. The latest track from North East punks Stolen Dead Music is an unflinching, snarling slab of garage punk that feels ready to kick through walls. This is the only track I’ve heard so far (but it won’t be the last!), but it wastes no time making itself known: angular guitars, pummelling drums, and a vocal delivery that’s as gritty and raucous as it is urgent and snotty. It’s loud, brash, and completely unapologetic – the kind of punk that thrives on rawness, not polish.
The band’s DIY ethos comes through in every snarl and chord. There’s an unfiltered spirit here, something scrappy and rebellious that drives the track forward with undeniable conviction. The drums are relentless without being messy, locking into a groove that hits hard but never feels chaotic. One of the best moments comes when everything drops out – the instrumentation fades, the silence is split by heavy, deliberate drum strikes, and then it all crashes back in. It’s a brilliant use of space and impact that elevates the energy even higher.
There’s also a killer guitar solo tucked in there, jagged and howling, not the slick, studio-polished kind but the sort that tears its way through the mix with real character. ‘1956’ is garage punk done right – spirited, scrappy, fired-up, and totally self-assured. Even without knowing the rest of the EP, this track makes its statement loud and clear. If the rest of “Concrete and Plastic” hits this hard, they’re absolutely worth digging into further.
