EP Review: Fresh - 'The Summer I Got Good At Guitar'
It's time for a breath of fresh air in punk music, in the form of catchy riffs and contagious chanting.
London outfit Fresh have come back with their latest release since the 2019 album Withdraw, and it was the time to show the world what lockdown has led them to musically. With over a year of the UK being kept indoors, the time has been beneficial when it comes to writing, recording and producing new tunes - enter The Summer I Got Good At Guitar. This five-track release compacted all of the efforts over the last two years and holds the pent-up power that the band were just waiting to release, and their fans were even more eager. They will not be disappointed.
The standout track is the single 'Girl Clout'. A relevant tale of women in the working world; whether it's in entertainment or in the office, the pressure is all the same. Vocalist Kathryn Woods speaks autobiographically when singing about how "no one will take me seriously" and "I want to be the best", along with rebuttals she and many other women have heard such as men calling themselves "one of the good guys". It's strong, it's empowering, and definitely the best choice for a single.
Another stellar song is the closing track 'Cry For Help'. Winding down from the loud, fast, bouncy tunes that preceded it, 'Cry For Help' is where the pure naked emotion comes through to wave the listener goodbye with the story of long-distance lovers. Its lyrics show that being apart doesn't always make the heart grow fonder, and Woods' voice is soothing and bittersweet throughout. The track ends with a click of a cassette player. The story has ended.
The mood is up and down, happy and sad, heartfelt and heartbroken; and there's no better fit for the overall feeling of lockdown than this. Confusing, alternating, extreme to extreme. It turns out that The Summer I Got Good At Guitar came early, and let's hope the guitar plays all summer long.
Words by Jo Cosgrove