This weekend, France delivers yet another cup of hot, frothy punk with Paddang. The band just released their debut Chasing Ghosts, a frighteningly accurate portrait of the decaying landscape around them.
Paddang are from Toulouse, and France, like many countries at this very moment all over the world, are going through somewhat of an upheaval. People all across the landscape we can call the modern world are waking up to the fact that so many of the ‘powers that be’ are very separate from us, hardly retaining any of their respective integrities.
But rather than launch into some kind of manifesto, we should pause a moment – if you’re reading this with even the faintest interest, it’s more than likely you’re a music appreciator, and know what an effective modality of catharsis and healing it can be. Make no mistake, Paddang are volatile, viciously smart, and at times, loud as hell.
Check out “Island of Gods” below.
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Of course, it’s pretty fitting in the context of this song to describe themselves something along the lines of Garage Post-Punk. But “Island of Gods” is a good example at the band at its most shrewd and calculated. If you remember last month’s Tuesday Music Dump, we also covered first single “Dead on Tuesday,” which had a darker mid-80’s edge to it.
The record runs the gamut however, with all shades of post-punk, alternative, prog, and… maybe even a bit of classic rock, all cycling constantly underneath the steady narrative. Don’t be turned off by that last part, kids, we promise it’s still pretty cool. It’s almost a little bit like a cross between the noise rock of Georgia’s Hyper Olympic and the stoner-prog situation of Ukraine’s Vovk. If that makes any sense. If you’re into prog, Chasing Ghosts will be second nature to you, especially if you like vintage stuff like King Crimson, Kansas, and Blüe Oyster Cult.
If you’re looking for tippy-taps and Telecasters, you will have to wait, but there is plenty of that to go around. However, if you’ve got an open mind, or just find the idea of classic rock and vintage post-punk influence inoffensive, (it happens after thirty, we weren’t always like this) it’s really worth a listen. Chasing Ghosts still has a lot of unexpected twists and turns in tempo and dynamic, with a flavor that’s pretty unique for a band just starting out.
Definitely check out the rest of the record here – you can also buy us a coffee here if you want! Or better yet, check out what we’ve got going on at our own Bandcamp here for compilations featuring dozens of bands. Anyway, coming up we’ve got stuff from Mission Creep, The Bob Lazar Story and more. Thanks for reading!