The United Kingdom has a legacy of bands that push back on their government. From the earliest incarnations of bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols to bands like Crass and the Subhumans, the pedigree is definitely there. The long-established The Mistakes from Poole, UK, carry that torch and dust off the trails blazed by these earlier bands. Their new album, Die Laughing, is evidence of that.
Die Laughing opens with the song “Battle,” with a riffy intro that signals back to East Bay Ray’s better days. This song is full of the piss and vinegar needed to set off an album with this much angst. While there are a few softer moments, a term I use loosely, “Battle” immediately shows that The Mistakes took the lessons these previous bands taught us seriously and presents them in a great opening track with enough political bite to make Joe Strummer proud. It’s loud and fast, and it gives the finger to the proper authorities. It’s a battle cry for the oppressed and a warning to the oppressors.
While there’s no shortage of shitty politicians in the world, The Mistakes target the world’s douchiest billionaire, Elon Musk, in a ska punk song that hits all the marks. Symbolically, Musk is a good replacement for Margaret Thatcher and the Queen as someone completely out of touch with a normal person. This leads into the anthemic one of the poppier moments on the album, “Life’s Too Short.” While this doesn’t lessen the ire in the song, it is a contrast from most of the tracks on Die Laughing.
Some moments feel very symbiotic with American punk rock, especially some of the ’90s Epitaph punk rock. The songs “The Pit” and “Sons” are fantastic examples of this. You could throw this song on a late ’90s Punk-O-Rama. Fast punk in the vein of Pulley or Straight Faced, with bass lines clearly influenced by Rancid’s Matt Freeman on some songs.
Then you get to a song like “Get Cancelled” that feels like a TSOL song in the melodic phrasing and the vocal delivery of the chorus. I feel like I’ve heard about some of the British influence on some of the street punk bands, but you never hear about it the other way around. This record feels like the product of that. While early American punk had the art part of it down, British punk brought a lot of the attitude and pushback regarding social issues. The Mistakes do a great job of continuing this sentiment.
My only complaint would be that this album sounds too bright in spots. While it’s clear that the Mistakes put a lot of heart into this record, it just sounds a smidge too polished for me. I’m not saying it’s not a valid piece of punk rock because it wasn’t recorded through a tin can; it’s just a bit smoother than I would like. The mastering gives this record a shine it doesn’t necessarily need.
Overall, this is a phenomenal record. I keep saying I wish that these types of songs and lyrics weren’t still relevant, but unfortunately we live in a world where they’re still necessary. The Mistakes have put together thirteen songs that get you ready for the fight. Influenced by bands from both sides of the pond, there’s something for everyone on Die Laughing. While this would be the perfect place to drop a pun about how not getting this album would be a mistake, I will say Die Laughing is one of the better punk records I’ve heard this year. They are able to take these influences and repurpose them in a way that doesn’t sound redundant or like they’re beating a dead horse.
Check it out now on Sell the Heart Records.
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