Brigada Mercy - Recovering Catholic/Roto Chico

The double A-side from this Yorkshire trio mixes the nasal assault of Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong with elements of rustic, Eastern European folk. Now, that does sound pretty awful, but the end result is far easier to stomach. Recovering Catholic, set atop a jaunty, restless rhythm soon erupts into a rousing chorus and drowns out any initial discomfort the vocals might have caused. Second track Roto Chico, however, despite it's equally boisterous chorus, lacks quite the same punch, remarkably similar to Green Day's Hitchin' a Ride. By this point Don Wilson's vocals develop new levels of whininess that are almost hard to bear, but a strong performance overall keeps the curiosity alive.