The Upset – S/T 7\” (Contra/ Longshot)

This is my first exposure to Barcelona Oi! band The Upset, but the quality and maturity of the sound on here suggests that these guys have been playing for a while. On offer there’s four songs of up-tempo streetpunk with a rock\’n\’roll twist, kind of like how The Bruisers or Brassknuckle Boys used to do it. Add into the mix a more contemporary European flavour like Gonna Get Yours or a little Secret Army – who The Upset share(d) members with – and you\’ve got yourself a potent mix. Each of the four songs hover around the two minute mark, and they’re all high energy, high impact oi! rock\’n\’roll – no time for self-indulgence, they just hit you where it hurts each time. Fans of any of the bands mentioned above should grab this without hesitation. Tom Chapman