CD Reviews

Every account one reads of any punk band from any era is generally marked out by having no similarity in style and influences to any other punk band and therefore you end up with a genre so diverse that it borders on style as diverse as reggae and thrash metal.

And it's from this school of random sounds that Vietnameasles come, like a shot of adrenaline to the heart of Guernsey's music scene.

Ryan.

The band's debut EP comprises six tracks in just 11 minutes and merging hardcore, British street punk and a little bit of ska they do their best to bring the unpredictable nature of their live shows to record.

And they succeed in part, though a record will never capture the sheer manic energy they emit live. What the EP does do however, is show that Paul, Andy and Ryan are actually much more talented musicians than they like to let on when performing (though we could all have guessed that anyway).

The discs six tracks span the gamut of their sound from the hardcore blast of 'Skint' to the ska-infused intro of 'Go To Back To Europe' and they even manage to include an undeniable sing-a-long chorus in their less subtle ode to a young lady 'Emma'.

Andy.

One of the most unique aspects of the EP comes in the form of 'Beatdown Syndrome' a minute and half hardcore instrumental that does what hardcore does best which is provide intense music for people vent to.

The other thing that really brings the spirit of their live shows to the disc is when at the end of 'Go Back To Europe' the band stop dead before having a brief argument and launching into their next track with just as much power as when they stopped.

Overall 'Get Home With My Downies' is a great introduction to Vietnameasles inimitable style but nothing will ever compare to seeing them live.