Album Review: South Locust

One of the things I love about this gig is that I regularly get introduced to new (to me) artists, and every now and then, there’s a standout. That’s what happened with Swallow The Rat. As I write this I’m on my third play through of their latest album South Locust. About thirty seconds into opener Terra Nullius I realised that I made a terrible mistake. I raced to switch from my mediocre headphones to the house sound system and cranked it up.

Some music is just better at full volume, South Locust is a perfect example of that. The post-punk trio from Tamaki Makaurau consisting of Brian Purington (guitar), Hayden Fritchley (drums, vocals), and Stephen Horsley (bass, keyboards, vocals) deliver a ten-track powerhouse. Delving in to themes of colonialism, broken friendships, and even the internet South Locust proves to also be a thought provoking endeavour.

With certain tracks diving into delightfully grimy nineties punk/grunge territory (Idea of South and Redactor’s Dilemma being excellent examples, reminiscent of early Nine Inch Nails), and others exploring the vibes of eighties British legends like The Cure even The Clash (Gravois Park and Straight Roads). There’s something on this album for punk fans from all walks of life and sub-genres.

Swallow The Rat are here, they’ve got something to say, and they’re angry about it. Lead single Terra Nullius and ZZK are standout tracks for me, but the whole album is a window shaker and definitely worth your time.

South Locust is available for streaming on Spotify and Bandcamp now, with a limited vinyl release also.