Artist: PSYCHOPUNCH
Album: SMAKK VALLEY (DIGI)

Year: 2013
Media type: CD

While our world’s feverish impatience has been the undoing of many a hopeful rock band, Psychopunch are among its most consistent and stalwart quantities. During the 14 years of their career to date, this Swedish punkrock act has wowed countless clubs and festivals and presented its breathtaking stage show in small, seedy dives with just as much relentless intensity as on huge open-air stages. All the more surprising that Messrs. JM (vocals & guitars), Joey (lead guitar), Lindell (bass) and Jocke (drums) continue to have – on top of their busy tour schedule – the power and creativity to release new recordings at amazingly short intervals. Since 1999, Psychopunch have brought out nine regular albums, as well as a number of EPs, singles, split releases and videos. You’d think the band members would be in urgent need of a break to catch their breath. Far from it: their tenth studio album Smakk Valley is scheduled for release on Steamhammer/SPV in February 2013 and presents the same awe-inspiring energy which has marked all the band’s previous releases. “We are a really productive band and we like that feeling,” explains JM, Psychopunch’s guitarist and vocalist, adding: “New songs just keep coming to us all the time! And we are hungry for more!”

You can feel this hunger in every single note on Smakk Valley. With the band’s typical mix of full throttle and diversity, toughness and melodies, simplicity and complexity, Psychopunch have produced an album full of highlights. Be it with their typical straightforwardness on tracks such as ‘Last Night’ and ‘Back Of My Car’, or mercilessly driving on ‘So Jaded’, ‘Kick In The Head’ and ‘I Will Never Ever’ – Psychopunch always hit the golden mean between raw ferociousness and concentration on the things that really matter. In addition, Smakk Valley features a number of surprising moments: despite its slightly slower pace, ‘Sitting By The Railroad’ impresses with its amazing power and gritty melodies, while the unusual ‘Emelie’ impresses with its – as Lindell calls it – “great country rock’n’roll bad-ass feeling. I get a big smile on my face every time I hear it.”

“We tried to make and give every song that little bit extra special and I think that we’ve succeeded in doing that,” JM explains the band’s special philosophy which in the end always shines through on Psychopunch’s material. Jocke describes Smakk Valley as consisting of “powerful songs with strong and catchy melodies,” while Lindell considers Psychopunch first and foremost a “great and honest no-bullshit rock’n’roll punk powerpop band” that keeps the spirit and tradition alive from such bands and artists as the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls, Cheap Trick, Chuck Berry, Iggy & The Stooges, Generation X or The Clash. “This list could go on forever, and we don’t think our attitude has changed over the years in terms of wanting to be a great live band that makes people happy and gives them a chance to forget about their problems.”      

Smakk Valley is produced by Psychopunch’s long-standing friend Pelle Saether, who has been part of the band’s inner circle for years. Saether knows how to handle the group, he knows all about their moments of euphoria and exuberance which can easily turn into self-doubt and dissatisfaction in view of the great significance of album productions if there’s nobody there to indicate the general direction. “We had some fantastic and some bad times at the studio,” JM admits, “but most of it was fun. We had high expectations of ourselves. Pelle is always a great help to us. He and I worked really hard with the vocal melodies on the choruses to get the most out of every song. All in all we are very happy with the outcome of the new album, so it was well worth the pain.”

But back to the question of the band’s amazing output and the energy source which has fed their haunting new album Smakk Valley: “To be honest, I sometimes wonder where we get the power from,” JM admits, “but in the end I think it has to do with the fact that we love what we do. We all have our roots in punk rock, rock’n’roll, hard rock and metal. So making people feel good and having a great time, that’s what gives us boundless energy!” Energy which Psychopunch also use to rerelease their first four albums, originally out on the legendary White Jazz label, in an exclusive vinyl boxed set. So the band continues on the fast track!

TRACKLIST:

1. Back Of My Car
2. So Jaded
3. Last Night
4. Kick In The Head
5. Sitting By The Railroad
6. My Empty Head
7. All I Wanna Say
8. I Will Never Ever
9. Dead By Dawn
10.  Smack Valley Train
11.  Emelie
12.  Down On My Dreams
13.  Everybody Wants An Answer
14.  Youґre Totally Mistaken