Disgraceland - Penguins Can Fly

2026 has just arrived so it's hard what to make of it yet but the outlook is not the greatest. Don't mean to be a pessimist, dear wave riders, but reality is reality. However, there is some pretty damned good resolve on the way and one is in the shape of Disgraceland and their new EP, 'Penguins Can Fly'. These Devon, UK, punks are always a force to be reckoned with and their new recording solidifies this, and then some. Never been known to holding back nor sparing any punches Disgraceland are in excellent form. After all, there's plenty of inspiration on home turf as well as across the pond to write songs of bile towards the establishment. Always exposing flaws in current politics and life in general, the band brings this out in the open with brilliant tongue-in-cheek humour and there plenty of this and I, for one, am eternally grateful. After all, it wouldn't be Disgraceland without it.

 

Opener 'The Pig's Ear' is full tilt right from the start with nice The Hives riffs and no bullshit attitude. It's an excellent on point pun at the ”ruler” of the US and the staged ear incident. But not only that, it's spot on summary of his evil ways, fakeness and pure stupidity. 'Kim' has the rhythm section leading the brilliantly in a Sonic Youth kind of way...which isn't strange since it is a love song for that band's Kim Gordon. And there's an easter egg embedded for all you Sonic Youth aficionados out there to uncover.  'The New Jive' is a very candid and unsettling composition yet very necessary. Mental health issues is a rapidly growing crisis where sufferers really need much more help than what is given as well as removing the stigma attached to it. Musically Disgraceland bring a mellow ska vibe in the verses while switching to unhinged punk in the chorus. Disgraceland steps away from punk in 'Lurch' going for a more intense rock path keeping it lurking and sinister. And that suits the song perfectly dealing with how politicians constantly lie and never do anything for us mere mortals unless they make great personal profit leaving us to suffers as always. The EP ends with 'A Gentleman Of Impeccable Character' where the band play punk at its finest with a nice influx of 70's gangster movie soundtrack vibes. Deals with the true story of a local conservative politician who in a drunken rage tried to kill his wife attacking her with a mallet to the head.

 

Disgraceland, Ollie Stygall, vocals and guitar, Foz, drums and Chris Glew, bass guitar, do not leave any stones unturned in their quest to improve and better our world especially when it comes to politics. Be it domestically and internationally they hang corrupt politicians out to dry. And as mentioned above they do ít with great sarcastic humour, just check out 'The Pig's Ear' and you know what I mean. It is so invigorating and uplifting to listen to a band like Disgraceland. They simply tell it like it is without preaching but rather they open up the eyes and ears of people to what is really going on. Brilliant stuff, indeed, and thank you Disgraceland for making 2026 somewhat better!

 

-Swedebeast