Artist: Paalmer
Title: Old School
Type: EP
Label: Self Released

Je Suis un Punkrockstar. Hey I could effectively finish the review with that statement, there is little more to be said. Paalmer are French, the second ‘a’ in their name is displayed in an Anarchy sign and they are indeed ‘Old School’ through and through. How many French Punk bands can you name? Probably not many actually, it’s a country way behind the UK and the USA unless you really delve into the old grey matter and mention perhaps Stinky Toys or the hugely underrated Les Thugs. Paalmer play very much in the late 70’s style of three chord punk, which is absolutely fine if you are literally caught in a rut and have not moved on. The four tracks displayed on this EP are all perfectly good and it’s obvious that the group know exactly where they are coming from even if most of us left this sort of thing way behind and look on it as only a bit of a nostalgia trip.

First track ‘Punkrocker’ states the obvious and bristles with a guitar sound that’s like stabbing yourself in the face with a safety pin. Singer Faabrice Paalmer has the required gobby attitude and this bounces away nicely, wearing bondage trousers and steel toe capped Doc Martins as it lands on your head. Melody is indeed old school and there is not a hint of pop punk about this thankfully, hence the review rather than a launch into the nearest bin. ‘Sleep With U’ is a derivative number that cites ‘Borstal Breakout’ a bit as it rolls in and then repeats the song title with insistence. Hopefully our friend Faabrice’s persuasiveness pays off as French punk girls are tres sexy! ‘I Believe’ again has a melody you have no doubt heard countless times before bombing away through it but it’s an enjoyable racket and note perfect as far as its execution is concerned, even if that is hardly a difficult feat to pull off. As for last song ‘Ramones Fever’ if you haven’t got it by now you never will. All of a sudden I feel like a holiday in the sun, well that’s if they let me out the retirement home for one!

http://www.myspace.com/paalmer

Puke Woods

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