On first listen, it’s difficult to know how much The Spitfires are taking the piss… whether that’s political commentary you’re hearing, or just an adolescent middle finger bidding its ‘fuck you’ to whoever.
The truth is that it’s a bit of both.
Musically and ideologically somewhere between the incendiary snarl of punk and the unflinching self-assuredness of Britpop; The Spitfires are a band typified by their sense of fun, but are far from a mindless array of melodies and nothing sentiments. At their most focused, The Spitfires are downright reactionary.
Politically aware, fearlessly irreverent but essentially just aspiring to write great songs, The Spitfires have rolled these multiple personalities into their debut album, Songs From The Debt Generation, and as such it is an album that can slip from an aggressive lyrical attack to a pop chorus in the blink of an eye. Some songs reflect the band’s thoughts on the world of our day, others reflect their thoughts on the universal politics of class and economics, while others are no more reflective of deep thought than a brick being hurled through a window… blunt, aggressive and unmistakable in its intent.
Recorded at Jericho Studio over a long enough period to see three drummers on the album credits, Songs From The Debt Generation has been an epic journey for founding members Sean Regan (vocals, guitar) and Paul Bovenkerk (bass) – exports of the UK and Western Australia respectively – but with most songs clocking in shorter than a street fight, the album is far from a slow burn. Regardless of the degree of political acclivity, The Spitfires write songs… short, catchy and straight to the point.
Following on from the Dead? Good! EP (2010), Songs From The Debt Generation is defined by the personalities of Regan and Bovenkerk. Musically and lyrically, this combination of people and where they have come from is The Spitfires. It is the band’s uniqueness, its humour and its punch… absolutely genuine in all its shapes and forms. So be it an outright political statement or an offhanded piss-take, what the band says is what they mean.
The Spitfires 2013 Australian Tour
Fri 22nd Feb
Glenelg Beach Hostel / Adelaide
Fri 22nd Mar
The Rosemount / Perth
Sat 23rd Feb
The Retreat / Melbourne
Sat 30th Mar
Red Rattler / Sydney
Fri 1st Mar
Ric’s Bar / Brisbane
