It’s 10.54am on a Sunday morning. I’ve spent the last 2 hours wishing I hadn’t downed so much tequila last night whilst also trying to write a review of Farse’s latest EP, “Whatever Happened to the Allstars”. It’s a hard job, so I think it’s best that I start with the facts:

(1) This is the best CD I’ve ever heard by a British band (Honestly)

(2) If you like anything at all to do with punk, you must own this CD!

(3) If there’s any justice in this world, Farse are going to be huge!

So what do Farse sound like? Hmm, this is where it gets tricky! One minute they can be playing the most sublime, feel good ska you’ll ever care to hear and then the next, they’ll be tearing your eardrums apart with roaring hardcore. The nearest examples I can think of are a more melodic CapDown, Link 80 without a horn section of possibly what you’d get if you made [spunge] very angry after injecting them with a whole lot of talent!

”Whatever Happened to the Allstars” is a 6 track CD and each song is a masterpiece. ‘Firing Line’ is an upbeat, fast tempo ska song, and I must admit, it’s had me skanking around my bedroom on a number of occasions! ‘Last Time’ shows off the band’s heavier side while live favourite ‘Blueprint to a Downfall’ displays every element of Farse’s sound, which is perfectly rounded off by singer Ollie’s voice- constantly brilliant and works well with both ska and hardcore. Closing track ‘Return of the Allstars (Into the Sunset)’ is an instrumental highlighting Farse’s ability to write the most awesome, melodic and uplifting songs.

What makes this CD even better is the fact that it’s all DIY- it’s how punk rock is supposed to be! Farse have been constantly playing shows in and around Birmingham, helping to keep the scene alive. I remember them being the first band I ever saw live at the Foundry over 3 years ago now and this CD is a statement of just how far they’ve come and with it, they deserve recognition. Everyone should own this CD! Forget the big name American bands, don’t buy a CD because of which record company releases it, check out homegrown bands and support your local punk scene. Ska in Britain is getting bigger every day; CapDown, Lightyear, [spunge] and now Farse are pushing back the boundaries and it’s about time these bands got some success. It’s now 11.31am and I’m done!

Check out www.farse.co.uk for more details