Roach Squad Roach Squad LP
The gruff-throated singer Hugo Mudie (the SAINTE CATHERINES) joins forces with two members of the mighty LEATHERFACE, including Frank Stubbs, to craft more great melodic punk with dive bar conviction and grit. If you’re a fan of this particular thread of punk for songwriters, and I very much am, there’s a treasure trove here for you to dive into. Collectively, their sound is big and beaty, and the hooks are undeniable. Stubbs, thankfully, contributes his timeless voice to “I Wonder,” and while I applaud that this band mostly sounds like a group of musicians not trying to recreate their past glories, I can’t help but greet his presence like an old friend. But this isn’t some vanity project to relive the past. These players are here for keeps, and this is a flag planted confidently in the ground to announce a new chapter for everyone involved.