{"id":5477,"date":"2021-02-27T17:39:29","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T17:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=5477"},"modified":"2021-02-27T17:40:41","modified_gmt":"2021-02-27T17:40:41","slug":"missing-out-on-the-mistakes-second-album-a-head-full-of-damage-would-be-a-big-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=5477","title":{"rendered":"Missing out on The Mistakes’ latest album A Head Full Of Damage would be a big error"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ALBUM REVIEW: The Mistakes – A Head Full Of Damage (NBQ Records)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Mistakes<\/a><\/strong> are a five-piece band from Poole in Dorset who blend punk, rock ‘n’ roll, ska and even hints of metal, and in the process create something very exhilarating indeed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They announced their arrival in 2018 with the Anti-Social Media<\/a><\/strong> album, and followed that a year later with live LP Upstarts And Heretics<\/a><\/strong>, which was recorded at a gig in Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like everyone else, their plans for 2020 were derailed by the virus, included making this second studio album, which was half-finished. They resumed recording in September when lockdown was lifted, and completed it in October. And what an album it is, released on their own Never Be Quiet label<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been deeply influenced by events that took place during its prolonged recording – from the birth of frontman Ross Sutcliffe\u2019s first child and guitarist Shane Creech\u2019s second, to the unrelenting pressure of dealing with family illness, and the strength people have shown in the face of those challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After a recording of the singer’s son\u2019s heartbeat in the womb, the record explodes into life with ska-tinged opener Form Square<\/strong>, which has huge riffs, a big singalong chorus, and even a harmonica solo. It’s fast, furious and brimming over with energy, and just a taste of what’s to come, as the intensity barely lets up for the next 36 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s thrashing guitars, urgent basslines, and a drummer who is all over his kit like a rash as he beats out like a relentless rhythm, all topped with impressively impassioned vocals. I’ve never seen The Mistakes, but on this evidence I bet they’re fucking amazing live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyrically, there are songs about the pressures of everyday life (Therapy<\/strong>), dealing with toxic people (Black Widow<\/strong>) and the idea that while things are hard, they will get better if people work together (Keep On Keeping On<\/strong>). Most of them are played at full throttle, with scarcely a pause for breath, let alone a drop in pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Way Ticket<\/strong> sees the ante upped into something approaching hardcore territory, with Ross’s vocals resembling a scream at times; the outro “you’re the fucking enemy” will sound amazing yelled back at them by a roomful of voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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