ACTIVE MINDS-Things That Cannot Be Unseen LP

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Our world continues on a downward spiral towards capitalist dystopian dictatorships. It's hard to hold much hope for a better future. But one can always hope for Active Minds, a near-40 years old institution of DIY punk, to continue making poignant and thoughtful political punk records commenting on the currently relevant attributes of this downward spiral. Two brothers from the UK, exemplifying basically all the most joyful, meaningful, and powerful attributes of DIY punk both in their walk and their talk, put another shout into the void for those paying attention.

Part of what makes Active Minds one of the best punk bands ever is their consistency. A new LP in their 39th year, and it contains all their signature sounds: the melodic style they've embraced ("The Price of Sporting Excellence"), the raging hardcore they came up with ("Not My Reality"), songs that push the boundaries of their ideas ("The Man Who Fell to Earth"), songs that retreat back to simple catchy pop songwriting ("Beware the Fuckwitted, Egotistical Tycoons"), and songs that are amongst the finest they've written ("Shamima"). Their sonic minimalism may hide their stylistic width and depth, but I think they continue to be one of the most interesting and exciting punk bands in the game.