Cyclone Static - From Scratch

“I’ve been taking in the scene, but we’re ready to go now.” With these words James Salerno opens Cyclone Static’s debut album From Scratch, and what can you say? The three-piece band from New Jersey has definitely taken in the punk and hardcore scene of the last 40 years and created an album with influences from 70s punk and 80s hardcore, interspersed with street punk and rock’n’roll – always with melodic undertones.

Remember the heydays of street punk and rock’n’roll, of bands like The Unseen, Roger Miret & The Disasters, and the Buzzcocks? If you do, you will have a big smile on your face when listening to From Scratch. And if you don’t, a whole new world of music just opened up to you.

On their Facebook page, the trio consisting of James Salerno, Danny Patierno, and Jonathan LeVine describe their music as “Catchy and Melodic Punk influenced Indie Rock”, and that’s probably the closest you will get to describe their style. The opening track, “Walk This Line”, leaves no doubts about the direction this album is taking. The fuzzy sound reminds me of Dinosaur Jr., with a strong, driving bass line and an incredibly catchy melody.

An incredibly strong opener is followed by the title track to which you can listen below. And the album just keeps on going. “Runaway” is a steam train of a punk song, “Company Man” could’ve been written by The White Stripes, “Everlasting Glow” has a hook that’ll make you sing along upon first hearing it, … you get the picture. Ultimately, this album is something you blast in your car while driving from Aurora, Illinois to a concert in Milwaukee with your friends, clad in denim and Converse high tops.

However, after 38 minutes of punk rock song after punk rock song, you’re not too sure where one song ended, and the next started. On its own, each song is perfect for your next road trip or punk rock party, but the songs are too similar for one to stand out. This makes the whole album a bit samey and mediocre.

Nonetheless, From Scratch is a great record, and songs like “Walk This Line” or “Circles” will keep popping up in my playlist. If you’re a fan of good, down-to-earth melodic punk rock, this is perfect for you.