Album Review

Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man vs The Fractions – Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man vs The Fractions Split EP

• 4th Jun 2008

Mancunian quartet Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man (ROTPM), driving force behind the label (TNS Records) are responsible for this punchy conjoined celebration of the fun and frivolous side of punk.

The hosts provide the first four tracks and right from the off, drummer Big Hands, rattles off in ‘Phill Power’ to push the track towards the jarring impact of Anti-Flag. Momentum from this flows like a river of beer into the childish rant ‘This Where The Idiot Lives’. With twisting riffs adding a hardcore pinch to this rollicking, frolicking stomp.

ROTPM handover the baton with a Dropkick Murphys leaning, snappy adoration chant ‘Jagermeister’, it is delivered with intoxicating, carefree abandon.

What is more important is not whose sound ROTPM reflects, but the fact that they sound nothing like The Buzzcocks. They are on course in their subconscious mission to cut out that automatic connection to Pete Shelley’s group, when the term mancunian punk is uttered.

Rochdale/Manchester based six renegades of The Fractions take over to add a freewheeling Ska touch, mingling the spike and social commentary of the Dead Kennedy’s with the horn fuelled zap of Mad Caddies. ‘Down And Out’ projects the old school punk thoughts and sends out a rallying cry to the punk/ska resurrecting troupes of Greater Manchester;
“Were not down and out !”

The message is simple but it is delivered with flamboyance and grit. As this the whole fresh offering, by two bands who have a sense of adventure, absorb their influences well and are determined in what they do.

www.myspace.com/revengeofthepsychotronicman

www.myspace.com/thefractions