When you think of Taang! Records, you are automatically transported back to the heady days of the underground Boston music scene, with bands such as Negative FX, Gang Green and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. But dig a little deeper and you will come across another equally important band in the Boston scene’s famous history. Often overlooked, but no less important in the overall picture, Moving Targets returned after a 25-year hiatus in 2019 with a new album and a new home in Boss Tuneage Records. Keen to build on their triumphant return, they return once again with another new batch of songs in the form of Humbucker.

Moving Targets’ brand of punk leans more towards alternative rock, but that was the beauty of the Boston scene. Its influence went far and wide and bands like Moving Targets could happily sit alongside the likes of Slapshot, even though musically they were miles apart. If you are not familiar with Moving Targets then one listen to first track The Hole, will tell you what this band are all about. Driving bass lines, over chirpy guitar melodies spiked with uplifting solo work are very much the bands bread and butter.

It was a surprise to find out that this was recorded entirely in lockdown -., as for the main part it is quite an uplifting affair and quite possibly the subject matter for the outright punk rock of World Gone Mad. But the juxtaposition to that positivity energy, come with tracks like Waiting For You, a testament to the song writing skills of frontman Kenny Chambers. With its Mark Lannegan-esque vocal delivery, you get the feeling that had Moving Targets emerged during the early nineties, they might have seen a lot more success.

But this is not the early nineties and success comes in various guises. Hell, the songs speak for themselves and a more perfect pairing of Moving Targets and Boss Tuneage I’ve yet to see as they will nestle in nicely next to the likes of Bedford Falls, but with Humbucker, Moving Targets have produced an album of flawless guitar driven power pop punk and the ideal antidote to these miserable times … Chris Andrews