Kid Kapichi have blessed fans with the release of their latest and possibly their strongest album yet, ‘There Goes The Neighbourhood’. The album kicks off with ‘Artillery’, braising through the economic injustices of Britain, with bold and revolutionary verses acting like a battering-ram directed at the government.
There’s a certain seriousness to discussing social and political issues that some audiences take issue with. Some might get bogged down with the heaviness of hearing how the country has gone down the pan. The answer to the pain of reality is ‘Can EU Hear Me?’. An incredibly unique track that only the likes of Kid Kapichi could pull off. Featuring lyrics in a plethora of European languages, frontman Jack Wilson charges through Brexit and all its flaws. It’s a fast and fun declaration to the world of Kid Kapichi’s frustration with and disownment of both Brexit and the British government.
Amongst the political statements and tongue in cheek love songs is ‘Get Down’. An ode to the UK’s pub culture that takes listeners on an intimate journey of a drunk and disorderly night out with Kid Kapichi in their home town of Hastings. It makes for an enjoyable pocket of carnage and chaos that juxtaposes the albums more serious themes perfectly.
The accompanying music video for ‘Get Down’ perfectly encapsulates the tracks aesthetic using a grungy, highly saturated colour palette and authentic mise en scène. It’s a fast paced video with little room for audiences to blink, or think. Made even more intense by the bouncy guitar riffs and flickering of POV shots. The use of slow motion, fast camera movement and sped up sequences creates a boozy atmosphere that’s likely to feel all too familiar to almost any punk fan. The sprechgesang use of lyrics allows audiences to closely follow the narrative of the sesh, without getting lost in the Carlsberg chaos. Overall, ‘Get Down’ makes for an accurate and realistic portrayal of a Friday night out that’s hard not to identify with. It’s a familiar sense of bittersweet fun, swiftly followed by a hangover.
Named after the World Rally famous racing car, the 7th track of the album ‘Subaru’ is a break from political revolution and resistance. Instead focusing on the equally challenging topic of getting on with your girlfriend’s parents. Wilson describes a sticky situation in which he attempts to secretly maintain a relationship with a girl whose family disapproves, desperately declaring ‘her brother drives a Subaru, her dad’s a master in Kung fu’. This adds yet another relatable, real world theme to the album.
Returning to the familiar theme of British societal degradation, Kid Kapichi unite with Madness frontman Suggs for ‘Zombie Nation’. The music video is impressively saturated with Shaun of the Dead references. With the bands home town of Hastings being over run by walking corpses, blatantly symbolising the complacent British electorate. Suggs’ role in the video is both significant, as old-school meets new school, and also hilarious with the best scene being Wilson decapitating Suggs in a pub.
Kid Kapichi are an admirable group on many fronts. Throughout their history as a band they’ve consistently stood up to injustice, discrimination and austerity. With tracks like ‘New England’ and most recently ‘999’, battering down the establishment. However, among Kid Kapichi’s most impressive attributes, is their ability to balance strong political messages with more lighthearted songs. The band’s ability to surf between political rebellion, drinking culture, Sunny D and glitterati allows them a unique level of versatility within the punk genre. The albums’ lead single, ‘Tamagotchi’ for instance is lyrically poetic using nursery rhyme style verses wrapped around a more typical punk chorus. All of this is entangled in nostalgic visuals of early 2000s pop culture.
While some bands associated with punk could risk criticism for their lyrics lacking variety or tendency to focus on a single issue, this cannot be said of Kid Kapichi who take punk and rock to any subject matter. Congruent through all their work is a clear love of what they do. It’s refreshing to see a band with such talent and potential not losing touch with their local community and staying true to themselves despite rapidly increasing popularity.
Pros: It’s a cracking album in which each song is as enjoyable as the last. Kid Kapichi have mastered a tough balance between tongue in cheek verses about custard creams and political statements of resistance. ‘There Goes the Neighbourhood’ cements Kid Kapichi’s already bright and gleaming role within the post punk genre, fitting perfectly into the band’s catalogue.
Cons: There’s not much to dislike. Some right wing audiences may not engage with Kid Kapichi’s political message, but really that’s the whole point of the band. ‘There Goes the Neighbourhood’ is no place for intolerance or nationalism. Kid Kapichi’s strong politics engages a specific left wing audience in which the band wish to foster a community.
For more information on Kid Kapachi, including their upcoming UK tour. You can keep up to date with the band via their official website, as well as by following them on social medi. A full list of the bands upcoming tour dates is available to check out below!
