Cherry And Peesh – Bigot’s Banquet

This is the third album from this much loved duo, or at least that’s how many this young man can remember (its my review I can say what I want lol).  Bigot’s Banquet has so much to live up to, as the last two albums ‘Electric Potential’ and ‘Don’t Make It Easy On Yourself’ will, if you were lucky enough to have heard them go to prove (if you haven’t, I so suggest you do anyway). 

So where exactly do we put Cherry And Peesh in the grand scheme of things, yes they are a Punk Poetry/Musical duo and yes the combination of poetry and music has been done so many times in the past and now, take the Maestro himself John Cooper Clarke, Patti Smith or even the man who I believe started it all Bob Dylan, but Punk credentials as a duo are few and far between, especially in the manner that this pair gel together.

The first song/poem into the fray is the one the gave me the best giggle, not from the poem itself, more from the fact that I miss heard it from the beginning, I heard “Married to the Mob” instead of ‘Married To the Mod’, so actually when it dawned on me that was the true name, it actually made me think “well at least it kinda does mean the same thing”, and maybe that was the point of the story anyway.

This is an album full of stories/songs/poems that take in subjects close to the hearts of both protagonists within this collaboration, political thoughts like in ‘Fool English’ a look at the very obvious yet unbelievably tolerated corruption that sits at the heart of government, all this whilst driven by a soundscape that shows the angst that is felt by those who see it.  ‘Ethics Girl’ on the other hand, gives us a play on how being an Essex girl should never mean giving up to the stereo type, be yourself and don’t be afraid to stand up and be counted. Then a beautiful moment like ‘You Don’t Know How I Feel’ takes the stage, at its core is someone screaming to be heard and yes most definitely understood, this is such a heart felt plea of a song and the musical overcoat fits perfectly too.  Of course there is also the title track, a track that drives a nail into the centre of what is at stake in the modern world of social inequalities/injustices and how the Bigot’s are the ones that should be called out, a Tory can never hide their true beliefs and goals behind a facade of lies and false promises.  And almost lastly the icing on the cake, ‘Just Be Kinder’ three words that should be worn as a badge by us all, “Just be fucking kinder” is a line that should never need any explanation, yet it does feel like it has to be repeated over and over to those who just follow like sheep, those who just don’t think for themselves and click “like” when it should be block or delete.

To finish off fully, we get a brilliantly simple yet very clever cover of X-Ray Spex ‘Plastic Bag’.

I’m not just probably, but definitely guilty of saying this before, this album is not possibly, by also definitely their best yet, it just has so much more maturity in the way that the music and poetry blends together to become one, powerfully angst filled when needed, yet soft and beautiful when wanted.

Out on July 28th, and 100% DIY, so check out all the links and go listen/support this great collaboration.

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