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Gay For Johnny Depp - The Politics Of Cruelty

Uncompromisingly brutal, pulse-quickening and utterly vital, this is punk rock.

Rating: 9

Everyone's favourite hardcore homos have finally unleashed their debut, er, full-length and, in a record spanning little over 20 minutes, Gay For Johnny Depp have crafted one of the most visceral, intense and just plain exhilarating albums of the year. From the instantly recognisable buzzsaw guitar and cacophonous drum clatter on opener 'Cumpassion' to the wall of noise that closes comparative epic 'I Hate Our Freedom (Fuck You Gladys, I'm On Vacation)', 'The Politics of Cruelty' refuses to cave in to convention and give the listener an easy ride. Highlights include the aforementioned tracks, an impressively reworked 'Lights Out!' and the three 'filler' tracks that recycle an addictive rhythm as it progressively degenerates, but in truth, this is brilliant stuff throughout. Their acid wit remains in the throat-shredding lyrics that spit out tales of felching, fisting and general anal adventuring. However, first single 'You Have A Theory, I Have A Gun' has a political edge that shows off a more serious side to great effect. This breadth continues with disturbing high-pitch vocals and twisted melodies mixed into the discordance. This is music made with no regard for potential audiences, doing everything on its own terms.

Uncompromisingly brutal, pulse-quickening and utterly vital, this is punk rock.

FOR FANS OF: rimming

IN THEIR WORDS...
SID JAGGER (GUITAR)
It's been more than two years since your last release. How do you think the album has evolved from the EPs?
'I don't think there was any sort of master plan but I guess it's a bit noisier and a little less kitsch. We wanted to make something a bit more serious, musically and lyrically. The first record was done as a joke; we were never supposed to play a show and the name of the band is a laugh at the expense of the hardcore scene and how close-minded it's become.'

Is the record out in America yet?
'No, no record label in the States has the balls to put it out. I've had people from Ferret, Trustkill, and Victory tell me they love the music but there's no way they could put out a record by a band called Gay For Johnny Depp because they'd lose most of their thug audience. But that's cool, I like being more punk than the punk rock labels.'

You had a kazoo solo on your last EP. Any interesting instruments on the album?
'It's pretty much guitar, bass, drums, but I did do some keyboards to thicken some songs out, plus there's a coffee grinder on the last track. And I very rarely do guitar overdubs. To me, heavy rock music should be visceral. Whether or not you hit a wrong note or the tempo slightly shifts doesn't matter, you just wanna keep that energy. As long as it scares you, that's the only thing that's important.'

Dan Morgan