The So So Glos - Tourism / Terrorism

are four, Brooklyn-raised brothers making energetic punk music. With a drive which far extends the ‘live fast, die young’ ethos of many young punk musicians, they have become local legends following the creation of what has come to be one of the scene’s most revered gig spaces, Market Hotel. Born out of a desire to accommodate the ever-growing Brooklyn punk scene more comfortably, the space is famous for its wild parties and edgy gigs, as well as being home to the business-savvy band.

‘Tourism / Terrorism’ is cited as the band’s debut LP, however at 27 minutes and 9 tracks long it is not so much a full-length as three-quarters. Following from the title, many lyrics highlight the band’s political values, such as ‘underneath the universe there’s a crime rate and there’s a war.’ Though intelligent and accomplished, the lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by their urgent, almost aggressive delivery, which often sounds a little comedic and forced.

Having been described in the past as ‘70s-style party punk that melts into reggae’, the varied influences of the band can be heard through the use of a variety of sounds electro MPC breaks, surf sounds, gang vox and even a little tambourine. ‘Underneath the Universe’ showcases the bands reggae leanings well, featuring a catchy melody and interesting instrumental layering. Despite being fairly different from the majority of Brooklyn’s major exports, many tracks seem to blur into one on this niche offering, with ‘Love or Empire’ the only stand-out track. A contrastingly low-key acoustic song, the use of simple guitar and echoing, subdued vocals make it the only flower in the otherwise barren record.

For some people, this EP will no doubt be on heavy rotation, but the market it will appeal to is perhaps too select, a factor which will no doubt inhibit their success. Whilst it is evident that the foursome are highly skilled at what they do and are loving every minute of it, there’s just something about ‘Tourism / Terrorism’ that doesn’t quite spark our interest.