It is time.
After seeing them last year, I wrote that “…Derry’s Parker are on incendiary form at the moment. Playing tight, angular and sharp melodic punk that has the potential to cross over into indie rock terrain, the band don’t let up for a second…Each song is a joyous, life affirming burst of energy, with vocals that have the gruffness of Frankie Stubbs (Leatherface) and the anger of Nick Oliveri. Simply put…An album can’t come soon enough.”
And, with the release of Never Miss, the moment has come.
The influence of Blink 182 permeates through the record, certainly in the riffing department (numbers like ‘Superhero’ and the title track sound like they could have been on the 2003 s/t record). However, I also hear elements of Full Collapse era Thursday and Weezer in certain tracks, which is no bad thing at all. Fighting With Wire’s slick sonic crunch packages all of these influences together.
Producer Cahir O’Doherty (Fighting With Wire, Jetplane Landing) has done an immense job behind the desk as the production is massive. Choruses and riffs sound stadium sized while the more introspective moments are overblown and overwhelming. Crucially, the production compliments the already anthemic music so there’s no disconnect.
Interestingly, there are references to Canada towards the end (the yearning ‘Ucluelet’ is named after a small town in the country, while closer ‘Vancouver’ is a reflective yet defiant look at the road of life). Smalltown Canada becomes a metaphor for paradise and longing, while the metropolitan Vancouver is a cold and unfriendly place to strangers. Perhaps an angle that will be explored on further releases?
All promises have been been fulfilled. Parker have delivered a mega sounding, anthemic debut LP with songs to pick you up when you’re down and to soundtrack a summer to remember.
All hail Parker.
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