We're Gonna need A Milkman is the second album by Wolverhampton founded Post Agit-Punk trio MC16, who once again are produced by the always in demand Dave Draper at his Old Cider Press Studios. MC16 are Duffy, Quinn and Carson.
The album opens with Standard Class an angry post agit-punk screed against the suffocation of our current world, set against churning bitter riffage, while re-working a classic Dylan video. Cheerful is something that's harder and harder to be, they seek to list some reasons to be Cheerful that are far less sardonic than Ian Dury's reasons, they even contemplate pulling up their socks.
Trooper has an insistent marching riff and drums, searching to find your own way through, rather than just blindly following orders all the time. He's like a zombie at the weekend, taking anything his dealer recommends, never a good idea, the distended guitars and splenetic delivery adding to the sense of danger inherent in this tale of the darker side of the sex drugs and rock & roll lifestyle, where they call X Trooper rather than Molly.
Help Desk a screed against the oxymoronically titled Help Desk where Help is the last thing you'll receive, they want a big change rather than being strange, the careening guitars and throaty vocals might be irritable and destructive, it could just be a sign of the times.
Rubble Walker almost sounds like the bands heroic anthem, while we all walk through the wreckage of modern life, being thankful we don't live in a city reduced to rubble, by some idiot who thinks war makes things better. Rather than living lives without hope, while the world decays and changes beyond comprehension.
Last Card is a slow skanking ska punk tune in debt to Norman The Gambler, who appears to have dealt them another bad hand, life just seems to go that way, they can barely afford to shop at the local charity shop, the danger is getting a bit much.
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry is in love with Peel legends and everything they stood and stand for, this has a great chant along chorus and other interjections through the nasty gritty guitars and pumped-up drumming.
Descended From My Victims could almost be for all the bastard children of Boris and Chump, while they claim to be Descended From My Victims, the nasty edge of life's darker side, wrapped in a slowed down beat and the feeling that everything is up for sale, including your dignity.
That's Progress has a neo psychobilly riff and rage to the need for some progress. Mars is taking a skewed look at the desire to jump on a spaceship and go to Mars, so you can spend your billions and develop the planet, the madness of the idiotically rich, turning everything to shit while lining their own pockets, the only way to get things back on an even keel is to make sure you can have a Milkman when you need him.
My Mind Is Obsolete it's been replaced by an AI chip, who does your job for you, guitars are set to stun while they call out, trying to get the idiots in charge to listen to reason for once, does the whole world have to turn to rubble before you will do the right thing.
The album closes with End On A High a song about stubbing your toe and hating mayonnaise, they lead meaningless lives, on this slow thoughtful song that switches to an upbeat neo pop punk plea for happiness, something we can all do with more of, so get a copy and join MC16 and End On A High.
Find out more at https://mc16band.bandcamp.com/album/were-gonna-need-a-milkman-2 https://www.facebook.com/MC16band
