Album Review: Body Bag Your Scene - Riskee and The Ridicule

In the social climate of 2019, Riskee and The Ridicule are the band we so desperately need. Their third album ‘Body Bag Your Scene’ breezes across subjects such as sexual exploitation, drugs, mental illness, and of course, modern politics. Opening so intensely with ‘Accelerate’, the record teases with gang vocals, a catchy chant that will have you humming along in no time, tied up with a crescendo into a massive punk fuelled chorus. The first single ‘Kaboom!’ jumps in to steal the attention away, weaving an extremely memorable melody and intelligent penmanship, a couple listens are recommended to truly take in what the verses are preaching about right-wing propaganda in the media.

Tongue-in-cheek “Our Time” potentially has some of the best one liners on the album, and perhaps in general, for example “Sex, drugs, and sausage rolls (vegan!)”. Now that is the kind of lyricism I want to hear more in modern music.

The next single ‘In The Dark We Dwell’ marks a dramatic departure from the first single and was directed entirely by the band. It also includes a respectful nod to the late Keith Flint (of The Prodigy) and anyone suffering from their own internal darkness.

Around the halfway mark of the album sits ‘Sellout’, reminiscent of the early days of pop punk (Green Day, Blink-182) with bouncy choruses and witty writing that are irresistible. On the other hand ‘Cut Your Teeth’ feels more like a hardcore inspired track, think Stray From The Path mixed with The Clash… a combination that sounds ridiculous but trust us, it works.

People accuse the genre of rock music of regurgitating the same cliches, the same bands and songs over the decades but every song on the record has some thing different. ‘For Old Times’ Sake’ is another anthem

Closing with ‘D.I.Y’ feels appropriate, considering the was made with fans submitting to Riskee and The Ridicule’s own pledge campaign and saw them having a direct input and a piece of the release via credits, memorabilia and even private home shows.

‘Body Bag Your Scene’ is a great example of a successful punk album with mixed influences and incredibly experimental songs, back to the roots of what punk was and what it needs to be in 2019.

Overall Rating: 7/10

To pre-order ‘Body Bag Your Scene’ on CD or Vinyl: http://bombermusic.limitedrun.com/products/643576-riskee-the-ridicule-body-bag-your-scene