Oakland outfit SPY call back to 90's punk and hardcore on their latest EP 'Seen Enough', venting their frustrations with shady politicians and fake friends alike across 10 full-on minutes. The EP wears its heart on its sleeve, discussing society's continued descent with diminishing hope for course correction, whilst taking as much influence from Bad Brains and Dead Kennedy's as they do Ceremony.
Opening with lead single 'On the Brink', it is remarkable to hear the sheer volume of structure present in these very short tracks. Intentional tempo changes atop the bouncy hardcore sound that characterises this EP move quickly into the funky-sounding 'Stay in Your Lane'. Between this and second single 'Dim', these tracks are made to validate the listener in those moments when they meet someone who needs to just drop the act. 'Stay in Your Lane' is the particular highlight with its four to the floor lead and easy hook.
The latter half of this EP is its prime: 'Overlord' gives a more dance-punk vibe to open the floor up for fans, whilst 'Quit the Act' is easily the standout moment of the project. It is another example of the clear structure that SPY have managed to fit into each tiny track time, and its direct callout lyrics are a satisfying scream for the angry or discontented. However, with 'Quit the Act' being the EP closer, the rampant finish does leave the listener asking for more.
Overall, this EP has a bit of everything we like about 90s punk heavyweights, like Rancid and Pennywise. The six tracks are varied both between each other and within themselves, which speaks to the technical talent of the quintet, while the choice to record live and straight to tape adds to the old school feel and maintains the DIY energy of this project. However, the amount of guitar distortion to transition between tracks is an assault to the ears - every track either begins or ends with it (often both), and tarnishes otherwise high quality hardcore by leaving the listener with the wrong type of headache. As SPY gear up for a US tour and a festival run in the summer, we can’t wait to hear 'Seen Enough' in the pit, but hopefully they’ll find a few more ways to transition tracks.
'Seen Enough' will be released on 21th February 2025 via Closed Casket Activities.
Words: Julia Brunton
Photo: Naida Lindberg
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