ALBUM REVIEW: Operation Vanguard – Operation Vanguard (self-released)
Operation Vanguard are a four-piece melodic punk rock band from Cramlington in Northumberland, and this is their debut album.
Led by Mickey Oliver, they’ve been around the live circuit around the North East for a couple of years, and, after a recent name change from plain old Vanguard, are starting to become more widely known.
Support slots with the likes of Hung Like Hanratty, Headsticks and The Kingcrows have helped raise their profile, and this 11-track album of original material should help spread the word even further.
Mostly written by Mickey, it’s a hard-to-pigeonhole collection of songs which I liked on first play, and sounds better every time I listen to it.
The songs are about community and belonging, as well as more personal topics such as struggling to cope with life’s trials and tribulations.
It kicks off with English Soldier, penned by Robb Banks, and there’s a real early Alarm feel to the track, probably due to the acoustic guitar and yearning harmonica.
The same could be said of The Road and Up And Down, though the latter is probably closer in sound to The Levellers or Ferocious Dog, thanks to the added fiddle. These are folk-rock songs played with a passion born out of punk.
Among the highlights is Land Of Hopeless Glory, written by Karen Houghton, who’s in punk covers band Dreddnautz with Operation Vanguard’s guitarist Mark, bassist Razor and drummer Frank. Despite the title, it’s an upbeat song which defiantly declares “this is our land, this city is our home.”
Keeping It Real has a touch of the Bruce Springsteens, while My Town’s Called Despair is surprisingly cheerful given the subject matter as Mickey sings: “This is life, this is living/This is life, unforgiving.”
Better Days looks forward with optimism despite lines like: “This town ain’t dying, it’s already dead/All the young are leaving, I heard their cry/Someone told the truth, wrapped in a lie.”
Standout track
The standout track, for me, is Free Falling – nothing to do with the Tom Petty song of the same name. It’s about wasting your life, has a real nostalgic feel and is the catchiest thing here.
Things are brought to a close by Homeland, the lead song on a four-track EP released digitally last year. It leaves you wanting more, as every good album should. I can’t wait to catch Operation Vanguard live, and in the meantime I’ll be listening to this on repeat. 8.5/10.
