REVIEW: 45 Adapters – Now or Never EP (Pirates Press Records)
45 Adapters are a streetpunk band from Brooklyn, New York, named after the little plastic gizmos used to make ex-jukebox 7in singles play on your turntable.
They’re far from being your typical oi! band though, as their sound is also influenced by ska, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll.
Formed in 2008, they’ve had a few line-up changes over the years, and this six-song EP is their first release in nearly five years.
Pirates Press, which produces some of the best-looking records around, has excelled itself: Now Or Never is pressed on 12in UV digitally-printed vinyl, to make it look like it’s made of glass.
Anyone who bought the PPR sampler For Family And Flag Vol 1 (reviewed here) at the back end of last year will already be familiar with the excellent title track which opens this short but sweet set, which clocks in at a touch under 15 minutes.
Now Or Never hints at a possible reason for such a gap between releases with the lyric: “I remember when we started out/We were the best of friends/And there’s nothing sadder than seeing business/Bring that to an end.”
They’re far from being your typical oi! band though – their musicianship takes care of that – and for the most part they’re not singing about the usual things, like standing your corner, and being proud of where you’re from.
Second track Friendship again suggests sadness, as well as a bit of anger and regret, about a parting of the ways, as vocalist Pickabar sings: “Friendship over nearly everything” before concluding: “Even if good things have to end/Let’s end them as friends.”
Ready Blood is the most typical oi! offering here, and probably the EP’s weakest track, but Let’s Play! is a perfect upbeat antidote to being deprived of gigs for a year as it implores: “Music is my medicine, it eases my pain/It brightens up the darkest corners of my brain/In regular doses it keeps me sane/In a world of pressure, stress and strain.”
Shabby is back to a more serious subject, namely how looks can deceive, and features some blistering guitar work, while the record ends on a high with Broken Men – the most powerful and thought-provoking song here.
It’s about being forced to grow up too quickly after being let down by the adults in your life, and Pickabar’s words will strike many a chord as he sings: “Broken kids, broken homes/Now we’re grown men with families of our own.”
The only disappointment is the fact this isn’t a long-overdue full-length album, but the biggest compliment I can pay it is that as soon as it’s over I need to play it again. The Now Or Never EP is available from Pirates Press Records HERE or via the 45 Adapters Bandcamp page HERE.
