Skiv – Chick Chicken EP

Skiv have making a name for themselves on the DIY circuit, playing anywhere and everywhere that would have them, including an appearance at the Manchester Punk Festival. Whilst the four piece are firmly in the pop punk stable, this is not your run of the mill pop punk act that yearns for those halcyon days when pop punk acts were filling arenas and dominating the charts and the airwaves. Whilst Skiv undoubtedly have that pop punk charm, they come at things on their own terms incorporating elements of melodic punk rock, indie and even blues to create something that is very much their own. Skiv‘s latest release is the oddly named Chick Chicken EP, although the reason for the name swiftly becomes apparent, that is now available via INiiT Records.

The first taste of Skiv‘s latest release is the EP’s title track, a joyous one minute blast that features all three of the band’s vocalists and celebrates the dubious delights of late night fried chicken. This is followed by Belinerluft that shows a different side to Skiv, in comparison the opening track it’s an epic track of raw melodic punk rock, the Devil In Dartford is next up and confounds any expectations you might have had, again it features the triple vocal threat and reveals a more wistful and melodic approach that is akin to a drunk Smoking Popes. The final serving from Chick Chicken is appropriately enough a visit to A&E, that returns to the infectious raw pop punk of the opening track, and may or may not be related to consumption of late night chicken.

Chick Chicken is the only release I can recall covering that is named after a fried chicken outlet, specifically the one next door to London’s New Cross Inn venue if you were curious, although someone will probably prove me wrong on that front. If you like your pop punk raw then Skiv‘s latest EP will satisfy in the same way that a late night takeaway does as you stagger out of a venue, whilst the Chick Chicken EP serves up something irresistible, unlike the EP’s name sake there will be no lingering regret or nausea the following morning.

The Chick Chicken EP is now available via Bandcamp & Spotify