Millie Manders and the Shutup, Telling Truths, Breaking Ties Album review
Despite producing quality bands like Millie Manders and The Shutups, the British modern punk scene never gets the plaudits our American counterparts enjoy. Now that isn’t meant to sound bitter or jealous because there is no doubt the American scene has produced some unforgettable albums over the years but, over here, albums like “Telling Truths, Breaking Ties” by MMATSU are just as worthy of a place in the punk rock big league.
Ridiculously catchy, the album kicks off with the brilliant “Your Story”, a bristling slice of energetic punk rock with an instantly memorable hook setting the tone for the rest of this fantastic disc. “Broken Record”, “Here We Go Again (Black Dog)” and “Silent Screams” continue this brilliant ride as the band mash-up their rowdy punk rock with a good dose of horns. The latter, along with “Your Story” already released as singles, saw the band make donations from each sale going to the mental health charities Mind and Papyrus, and to NHS Charities Together. Demonstrating Manders ability to write tracks from her own personal experiences, the lyrics read like an insight into her personal diary as they touch on easily relatable subjects like betrayal, anger and political unrest. While unashamedly full of bouncy punk rock bangers there is an honesty within the message throughout the album that really makes tracks like “Broken Record” hit their point home hard.
“Poor Man’s Show” is an absolutely perfect slice of ska and one that shows of the talents of Millie perfectly. From spitting out her lyrics to the calmer moments of the song, this four minutes epitomises every quality she has as both a songwriter and as a vocalist. The icing on the cake to this album, Manders has the potential to make a huge difference to the lives of the people who come into contact with her and, if they’re given the kind of break they deserve, there is no reason why this band can’t really make a difference on both a musical and emotional level.
