Label: Hellcat Records

Sometimes the simplest music can be the best.  Britain’s GBH have just released the eleventh album of their thirty two year career, and for the most part they stick to the aforementioned moto for its entirety.  Serving as one of the most influential formative bands of the late 80’s street punk scene, they (unlike many of their contemporaries) have remained reasonably true to their original sound for all these years.  Released on Hellcat Records (an imprint of Epitaph), Perfume and Piss is a perfect record to listen to on those days when all you want to do is rock out and not think very much.

From the opening salvo of the furious “Unique” to the closing strum of “Time Flies”, Perfume and Piss never lets up.  Flying through thirteen tracks in around thirty nine minutes, GBH abundantly reiterate just why they have managed to garner such a loyal and continuing following over the years.  The only downside is that unlike some other long running punk bands (such as the Canadian Subhumans who are comparable musically), this longevity has not brought with it a greater degree of lyrical maturity.  This seeming lack of linguistic evolution however is quite easily offset by the absolutely palpable excitement and energy which drips from every song on this album, especially hardcore blasts like “Dead Man Walking” and “Power Corrupts”. 

Throughout its playtime, all four members of GBH manage to maintain a powerful competency over the musical style which they helped form all of those years ago.  The production of Perfume and Piss in particular helps accentuate the group’s aggressive sound; the drums pound like a machine gun (especially the snare drum), the guitars literally roar with distortion and the bass chugs along cleanly just below the surface.  An ideal mix of levels has also been expertly achieved, with the lyrics driving but not dominating the group’s overall output.  Particular credit must be given to vocalist Colin Abrahall however; despite the fact that he is practically a senior citizen, he has managed to put to tape some very powerful and unprocessed singing that in no way shows his age.  Indeed, people listening to GBH for the first time could be forgiven for believing him to be in his mid twenties rather than close to the age when most start contemplating retirement.

On Perfume and Piss, GBH also manage to avoid one of the most common errors made by street punk bands; completely overdoing the gang backing vocals.  I’ll be honest, there are few things that turn me off street punk faster than a band which forgoes real singing in favour of simply yelling “Oi!” over and over again.  Comparatively, GBH have been far more tasteful in their deployment of their gang vocals, with tracks like “Time Flies” in particular benefitting immensely from the strong mix of backing singing and Abrahall’s intimidating sneer.

Overall, Perfume and Piss is a strong release from a veteran band of the street punk scene.  It is true that there is not much variety between songs, but considering GBH’s normal audience this should be no problem.  Recommended for fans of Oi! and street punk in general.

By Matthew Woodward