Album Review: Love Buzzard - 'Antifistamines'

Love Buzzards debut album, ‘Antifistamines’ washes ashore on a scuzzy wave of garage / surf-punk, churning up memories of the headstrong days of the West Coast hardcore scene.

With more than a slight nod towards the likes of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Naked Raygun, and the punkier, more psychotic edge of The Cramps, ‘Antifistamine’ is a no frills, sweat soaked collection of 13 songs from one of the country’s rawest duo’s.

From opening track, ‘Cash’ to the finale, and personal favourite, ‘Tower’, Love Buzzard have come up with an album that captures the intensity of their prolific, somewhat feral, atmosphere of their live set. Caustic surf laden riffs, played on a dirty scuzzed out guitar, smash headstrong into a barrage of harsh vocals and a consistent primal drum beat, that combine to make this inaugural foray a worthwhile addition to any self respecting purveyor of DIY punk’s collection.

One of their slightly more surfy tracks ‘Wild’ has been released as a promo video for the album. If you like it, you’ll like everything the band has to offer, for it is fair to say if you like one Love Buzzard song , you’ll like them all.There’s a certain amount of repetition throughout the album, and for some this may cause issue, personally though I like it. It affords you a certain amount of consistency that guarantees if you are in the mood for shit stomping garage-punk, you know that Love Buzzard will deliver right from the very first beat to the final twang.

We’ve been fans for a while (click here for more Love Buzzard on BMafia), and ‘Antifistamines’ cements our relationship and makes this old punk a happy happy boy.

Love Buzzard are singer/lead guitarist Kevin Lennon and Al Brown (drums) the man behind Fluffer Records. Yes that’s him, the guy that brought you the ‘Pit Party’ 360 gigs and various other riotous nights out.

‘Antifistamines’ is out now via 1-2-3-4 Records on luscious green vinyl, or the equally attractive eyeball emblazoned CD. Artwork for both comes from Dalston based illustrator Russell Taysom.