This record is a gem, pure and simple. How a band manages to make me think of so many different artists on only five songs is quite a feat. It starts with a rhythmic and gritty post-punk / UK82 blend on the opening track “True Crime,” a song that seems to cut out far too soon. The next three tracks display more notable nods towards that UK82 sound with “All’s Quiet” having a verses that are reminiscent of Red Alert’s “In Britain” whilst on “No Sooner Said Than Done” and “Fill Your Boots,” the vocals could easily be Carl from Blitz. The record ends with “Retaliate,” a track that brings things a bit more up to date by having the quality of an early Fucked Up track, complete with vocals that match those of the behemothic Damian Abraham. Throughout the single, the bass booms with an air of menace, whilst the guitar sounds switches back and forth from razor sharp to almost clean, lacking any effects, helping create quite an expansive sound. It’s a sound that causes my body to shift, twirl, and shake each time I listen to it; such is the inherent sense of movement emanating from the songs. Breakout does a damn good job of making the UK82 sound—which, on reflection, has not stood the test of time for many of those original bands—come across as fresh, vibrant, and intriguing.
–Rich Cocksedge (Grave Mistake, [email protected], gravemistakerecords.blogspot.co.uk)