Album Review: Record Thieves – Wasting Time

Featuring members of Authority Zero, Allout Helter and Boldtype, Denver based melodi-punks Record Thieves have just dropped their debut album ‘Wasting Time’ via Thousand Island Records. After a couple of years gigging, demoing and settling on a line-up, the band began recording the LP last winter. But as with everything else,  COVID took hold and delayed the release – with their new label looking to release it in 2021. As touring has been taken off the table, ‘Wasting Time’ has been pushed up – preceded by 3 singles over the past months – and there’s word of a second album already being in the works.

‘Sacrifice’ crashes in with somewhat of a metallic flash – the band sounding perfectly accomplished in serving up crunchy chords, a harmony-laden chorus and even squeezing in a zippy solo. It doesn’t let up – the rest of the album follows suit, splendidly. With each track clocking in over 3, but under 4 minutes, they flirt with variation at times, but never stray too far from the formula. ‘Work It Out’ and ‘Transmission Clear’ are revved-up and choppy, next to the pop-gloss moments within ‘Sunburn’.  Lyrically, the band draw from the personal well – the title track itself alludes to the loss of friend Manny – confronting alienation, despair and aspects of character: “Don’t ever lose yourself,” they implore us on Daily Revolver with a bittersweet twinge. As ‘Slumber Party’ closes things out, there’s a lingering sense of familiarity left behind – the band themselves have talked about looking back to the ‘Epi-Fat’ sound of the ’90s, and across the 37 minutes they tap into it with purpose, power and proficiency.

Like sturdy, straight-ahead slabs of polished punk? ‘Wasting Time’ is available digitally via Thousand Island Records, with the vinyl release just announced for February 5th 2021. Pre-order HERE. Follow Record Thieves on Facebook and Instagram.