Manifesto Jukebox are a Finnish Punk band and are one of the most respected Punk bands in Europe right now! None of these tracks have ever been available on CD before but thanks to Boss Tuneage they are now with tracks 1-4 off of the 7” they recorded way back in 1999 and 5-6 off of a split 7” that they released with I Excuse in 2001. From these six tracks it is easy to see why they are one of the most respected European Punk bands at the moment because they really do have something special going in their music. I really can’t wait until they release a new album because this introduction to the band has been a really pleasant one and has left me with a big grin on my face.
These Finnish lads play Punk like they mean it with fast drumming, buzzing guitar playing, slick bass lines, and vocals that will leave you with your tongue hanging out of your mouth due to their pure brilliance. If you like Punk then you will love Manifesto Jukebox for sure! I really like European Punk and the reason for this is that it is always so fresh, and exciting – it is the sort of thing that you want to hear when you wake up in the morning, listen to in the day and think about at night! That is how much I enjoy European Punk usually and this band is no exception to the rule. I only received this CD today yet have already played it many a time – it hasn’t left my CD changer since it came this morning! My favourite tracks are ‘A Good Sport’ and ‘Trail’ as these tunes are Punk how you’ve always imagined it – raw, pure, and 100% jam packed full of energy! ‘A good Sport’ especially with its awesomely heavy vocals, lightning guitars, and frantic drum beats! It may be short at only a minute and a quarter but its really a shock to the system as ‘Stains’ before it was really quite light hearted and melodic in comparison. It is Punk Rock through and through and it is always great to listen to tunes like that! You can’t go far wrong with heavy Punk in my book! This one put a big smile on my face and had me wishing I was there at the front of one of their gigs witnessing it live. It is raw and energetic and is sure to please fans of Hardcore. ‘Stains’ is a lot mellower with a slower pace, but it is still a totally amazing tune that is well worth checking out as the vocals are clean and fresh, there are some melodic guitar licks, and the drumming is still kept quite fast. The drumming really shines through on this track and I think this is because it is quite a bit faster than the vocals, and the two contrasting sounds give a really great effect.
So make sure you check this band out as whether they are creating a fresh sound, or hitting you with a hardcore number they do it extremely well and it is a really great CD to listen to. Six fine tracks of Punk Rock that make you appreciate that the European bands can play Punk Rock just as well as, if not better than any American band can!
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UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
