LIFE belt out ballads of corrupt puppet masters pulling the strings in parliament, they’re merchants of fair-trade, cocaine and pissants. It’s safe to say you’ve probably not come for soothing lullabies and soft vocals, so buckle in. This one’s not for those with an existing heart condition.
Mez Green is known for his catchphrase “Fuck Boris!”, shouted rather poetically in their live performances. This same anarchy is a metaphor for the entirety of this record. As a whole, A Picture Of Good Health is one big mosh pit. High tempo, high energy, organised chaos.
But wait, what’s the most post-punk thing you can do? Well, on ‘Bum Hour’, LIFE detail how sleeping-in can be the answer to all your problems. Feeling tired? Sleep. Got no money? Sleep. World gone to pot? Sleep. Seems pretty enticing to me. If Punk was about anger in society, it makes sense post-punk is about the opposite, being mad at things must be pretty tiring after all.
Throughout, Mez increasingly takes on the mantle of ‘man of the people’, expressing his anger at absent parents, austerity and the annoying orange. Pointing the gun at negative thoughts and thus giving you a good kick up the arse seems to be a mantra shared across the record.
Overall, it is easy with preach-y songs to create something that comes across as a pretentious motivational speech, however, LIFE manages to uphold an exceptional consistency in avoiding this. It’s just about everything that epitomizes the current post-punk renaissance, a hard-hitting record which successfullyholds up a mirror. Come on you ‘ull.
Haiku Review
It’s one big mosh pit,
Conducted by a man of
The people and coke.
Listen to LIFE on Spotify and Apple Music.
