George Ward
Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.
Punk rock band PLAY DEAD return with ‘Barbershop’, a lively and hilarious single.
PLAY DEAD are a punk band from South London. They’re quite new to the scene but have made a name for themselves with their short tracks, raw sound and witty humour.
‘Barbershop‘ is a great track. It’s very short, very funny and very energetic. It is a simple request to their barber: “don’t you dare fuck up my hair”. The lyrical simplicity isn’t a fault though. Much like Australian punk band The Chats, PLAY DEAD know exactly what they are: a young punk band trying to have some fun.
The track works because everyone can understand its reserved frustration. We have all felt “secretly fuming” as we walk to the barbershop counter after a bad cut but few of us will ever say anything. This is what is charming about PLAY DEAD. Their sound is aggressive and loud but their charming observations keep them accessible.
Instrumentally, the track is a fairly standard punk banger. The verses are fun and laid back, reminding you of Parquet Courts, while the chorus is simple and catchy, with distorted guitars and relentless drums. The production is raw and uncomplicated. This is a live band and their studio recordings don’t lose their live energy.
If this is the start of PLAY DEAD’s journey, it’s bound to be a fun one, and if they can keep up their simplicity and wit, they’re sure to be selling out gigs in the next couple years.
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