Review by Gilan
Get ready to pour your pint all over the patriarchy and then proudly stomp away with your head held high; it’s my new favourite band: Problem Patterns.
Who are Problem Patterns? Problem patters are a DIY, RRRIOT punk band from Northern Ireland. Self-described as “just women shouting in a room”. Yes please!
Their EP, “Good for you, Aren’t you great?” has everything you would want from a punk record, a glorious balance of heart pumping chaotic distorted guitar , and delicious slowed down gritty numbers all of which are showered with witty words of wisdom. There is also a delicious hint of sarcasm which I am always in the mood for. So let’s take a look at a couple of the tracks.
Day and Age: A fun fast-paced rant about being a modern day women and trying to keep up with the ridiculous standards the mainstream media set. What I love about this track is how the lyrics themselves are a fairly polite, low key vent about trying to be an ideal woman in today’s society but the whole thing is screamed out – just like lots of women must be silently screaming every bloody day. There’s just something so beautifully frantic about it. Like the singer has had enough and is on the brink of exploding.
Sell-by Date: This song starts as one of the bands slower, grittier songs. The guitar tones are chuggier, thicker, and heavier and the drums are simple but so effectively punchy. The first chunk of the song is written from the perspective of people asking ‘those questions’. You know the ones: “Do you have a baby yet? No? Why not?”
“Aren’t you too old too….” The second phase switches to the person who all of this has been directed to, and they are clearly not taking any systemic abuse made to feel women like biological ticking time bombs, made only for breeding and nothing else. Nor should they be! This song makes me hopeful that more of us will shake off these false social constructs we are taught, that are normalised. Our bodies are our own! More like this please!
Throughout the EP this feisty four play with their rhythm with little punches here and there or fun vocal inserts. Problem Patterns also have no one fixed front person and all swap around vocally and instrumentally. I don’t know who is singing or playing what on the EP, but what I do know is, they all know how to make ranting about life sound spectacular!
Listening recommendation: If you have had enough of mainstream media making you feel like you are about to buckle under the pressure of it all, stick this on and stomp around!
BUT WHERE DO I FIND THEM?
bandcamp facebook instagram
