Prins Carl – Wake Up 7\” (Rebel Sound/ Bandworm)
I\’ve come across this name a few times but this is my first exposure to Swedish oi! band Prins Carl. On the strength of this EP I will definitely be digging out their previous two albums as their sound is right up my street. Without reinventing the wheel, they take standard elements of this musical style and make it their own – catchy guitar riffs, tight rhythm section and powerful vocals come together perfectly. The record starts off in stylish musical fashion, introducing the worker\’s anthem \”Power In The Union\” with a whistle blow and a guitar melody that brings to mind Cock Sparrer. The vocals kick in and bring a rougher edge – Johan\’s voice is gruff but also melodic and so he is able to carry off the song\’s anthemic chorus in style. Prins Carl manage to maintain the high standards that are set on this opening song all the way across all four songs on this EP, making it a real keeper. I like the lyrics too, these guys have a message and are not afraid to express their anti-fascist pro-workers views on these tunes. Seeing as the vinyl for this one is incredibly limited I reckon I\’ll have to settle for the download version, but I\’ll be playing the hell out of it, that\’s for sure. Tom Chapman