Little Sparta OX1 are a new band with a lot of promise. Describing themselves as middle-classhole punks, the three piece combine a good mix of folk, punk and ska. In June they released a new four track EP named Hardcore!! Bootlegs!!.
The first song on the EP is named Topshop Marxists. Topshop Marxists is acoustic track featuring guitar and violin. It goes along at a wonderful up-tempo pace and is full of life. Lead singer and guitarist Joe has a fantastic vocal for this kind of music. It's a good mix of pop punk and a rough edge. On Topshop Marxists he sings about the higher classes believing that they are better than lower classes. There is a fantastic gang vocal section towards the end of the track that put a massive smile on my face. I really love gang vocals and this makes me think of Little Sparta OX1 in a small club with a room full of people singing back at them. It's wonderful. Next up is 0240. This song has a slower tempo to it with Joe's voice displaying more anger than on the previous track. He sings about realising you're not treating people as well as you should and wanting to apologise. Violinist Paula does a fantastic job on the track - giving 0240 a bigger, yet more sombre, sound. The third song on the EP is titled Please God Is It Like This (At All)? This track sees the paced pick up again with some speedy guitar playing combined with some more melodic violin playing. It's about playing shows in small towns to small crowds and loving it. The lyrics "I'd Fucking Die Tomorrow For A Heaven Just Like This, Please God Is It Like This At All?" really sum up the entire song. There is a real sing-a-long charm to the song. Folk punk is at its best when it can get a whole room of people singing along together in unison - this track could do this with ease. The final song on Hardcore!! Bootlegs!! is named Borussia Dortmund. This track is almost ballad like in delivery and I love it because of this. Joe's vocals are fantastic on this track. It's a song about individuality. I really loved the lyric "one size fits no-one at all." That's a tattoo worthy lyric, if I was brave enough to get a tattoo. Borussia Dortmund is just such a beautifully written song, I can't really say the right words to really do it the proper justice. Just go and listen to it.
Go and check out this hidden gem of an EP. I really look forward to seeing Little Sparta OX1 going from strength to strength and becoming a well known name in the UK's punk scene. I will be championing them to anybody who wants to listen.
Stream and download Hardcore!! Bootlegs!! here: https://littlespartasuck.bandcamp.com/album/hardcore-bootlegs
Like Little Sparta OX1 here: https://www.facebook.com/littlespartasuck/
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