Slaves

Are You Satisfied?

(Virgin EMI)

But is it really punk? That's the question that will dog Kent duo Issac Holman (vocals/drums) and Laurie Vincent (guitar/vocals) as the music press hype Slaves as the sound of summer 2015. There's a hectoring, working-class, anti-austerity edge to the words, true enough, but the guitar veers towards chug-chug power chords and the heavy blues/no bass of more recent twosomes. I say it is punk, however, from the Rottenesque rising sneer on the word "fun-uh-un" on The Hunter, to the fact that their music places energy over expertise, attitude over everything. "Put another 0 on your paycheque/Are you done digging your grave yet?" says Holman with a hop and a skip and a fragment of spit on standout anthem Cheer Up London before young crowds across the country erupt into the song's "You're dead already" refrain, sticking two fingers right in George Osborne's face. After only a handful of plays, the weaker links in the 13-strong running order betray themselves, but I'll happily take half of Are You Satisfied? over any amount of complacent "indie" product.

Alan Morrison