Citizen - Bash Out

Citizen are a band from North-West Ohio and South-East Michigan and, while relatively unknown in the UK, doing very well across the pond (72k+ followers on Twitter). Formed in 2009 they morphed out of a metalcore band "the Sound of Glory": three members, brothers Nick and Eric Hamm (lead and bass guitar respectively) together with drummer Matt Kerekes, who moved on to vocals began evolving a highly polished fast-paced grunge-power-punk-pop hybrid. Citizen have four albums under the belt: Youth (2013), Everybody Is Going to Heaven (2015), As You Please (2017) and Life in Your Glass World (2021). This track, Liminal Radio's track of the 2022 was a one off release in April.

Citizen have been labeled Grunge, EMO punk surf-punk etc, but this does the band a dis-service. They have that power punk sound of the likes of the Pistols but refined and mastered with more of a Buzzcocks edge. Even with that, the lyrics are more complex, twisted and dark:

You’re sick in the head
You’re speaking my language now
I do not want you
I just want you to myself
Safe and sound

There's a few bands in this territory of course, but this one definitely hits the nail on the head. All together you have a complex but polished sound staying just about on the grunge side of the Foo Fighters but with that all important danceable and driving fast-paced edge. All this sounds like a pigeon-holed retro band but that denies that these genres are still evolving, with a new young audience energised by the craft of their live perfomances. Therefore, while it doesn't quite fit, describing them as EMO's Fourth Wave does suggest barriers are being pushed and new influences are compounding a style fit for now. Its different, not punk, not anarchic, not political. Just good.

Matt Kerekes the singer has been described as following a straight edge lifestyle and is an advocate of animal rescues has used music previously for fundraising efforts.

The video for the track which you can see below was directed by Mason Mercer, himself a touring guitar player for the band.

This was by far the best track of the year. Here's to 2023 with hopefully a new album and a comprehensive tour, including the UK.

Watch this great video below.