Album Review: Midwich Cuckoos – We Are Everywhere

The international punk collective Midwich Cuckoos will be releasing their debut album, We Are Everywhere, on the 23^rd February 2018 via Onslaught Music. Founder member Patch Barbet, formerly of Monsters In The Attic, sent his work in progress tracks across the globe, with each recipient writing and recording their own parts before sending them back with their own stamp firmly imprinted on the songs. The explosive, rock ‘n roll, punk and metal experiment was put together by friends from around the world that have brought a collaborative approach to the project, what started out as a handful of songs has become a unique unpredictable international punk rock experiment. 

Opening track Adios Mein Frere slowly builds up before kicking in like a Brody Dalle fronted version of Motörhead, Blue Fingernails continues the assault, the track has all the same qualities as the opening blast but it veers much closer to hardcore punk. It must be said that by the time you’re into the third track, Russian Doll, you get the impression that We Are Everywhere is going to be a relentless experience with every track coming at you at full tilt, but crucially this is no one trick pony. Due to the nature of how the album came into being each track has different influences and elements that mark it out from it’s predecessor.

We Are Everywhere carries a unique hybrid of styles that combines elements of metal and rock, with a notable feel of Motörhead‘s brand of excess pervading across the album, that are mixed with the intense punk style of The Plasmatics, Gallows, Svetlanas and The Distillers to create an intense debut album that, aside from the introduction of opening track Adios Mein Frere and the melodic ending of the closing track Dirty Love, does not give any quarter or slow down for it’s almost thirty minute run time. The Midwich Cuckoos have created an album that is borne of disparate members and conflicting ideas, but from this they’ve created a coherent and dynamic debut that leads to the conclusion that We Are Everywhere has been a more than successful experiment.

The Midwich Cuckoos website can be found here