Apologies, I Have None

Two Sticks + Six Strings (2009)

Zack Shapiro

What do you get when you throw Tom Gabel, a little Frank Turner and some Against Me! into a blender? The upcoming British punk duo Apologies, I Have None.

Two Sticks + Six Strings is the first release by Dan Bond and Josh McKenzie, two guys who sometimes swap instruments but nonetheless create some catchy sing-along punk. As the name of the EP suggests, the band consists of only drum and guitar and though Bond and McKenzie are young, their lyrics pack a punch that's rare in young bands.

Two Sticks + Six Strings contains five songs, starting with "100 Club," a song that captures the familiar basement band scene in one line: "You can't deny a hundred fists in the sky." From the beginning, Apologies, I Have None begs you to sing along, to feel their passion and to let them into your lives. "Bent Strings" is arguably the best song on the EP, a song about a 20-year-old girl struggling with suicide and ultimately finding religion. Catchy choruses and strong realizations about life and people populate Two Sticks + Six Strings.

Bond and McKenzie manage to fit whole paragraphs seamlessly into songs without anything feeling forced. And throughout the whole EP the voice timbre begs listeners to sing and scream along.

"Green Green Mabley Green" and "Apologies, I Have One" aren't quite as strong as the first two but give the record continuity as it flows into the resounding final track, "Rearranging the Dust." In the final track the two Brits summarize what most young adults feel, lamenting, "All that we asked for was to stand on our two feet and stop relying on this family."

Apologies, I Have None's first release is a party, really. Its melodies and hooks are catchy and will have you humming along for hours after the record finishes. The recording resembles the Gaslight Anthem's 2008 release, The '59 Sound, utilizing more of a live sound instead of the usual in-studio-style recording which lends itself well to what these guys are like live (there are a few videos on YouTube that are definitely worth checking out).

I look forward to what's next for Apologies, I Have None. They've got a catchy sound and a hell of a lot of passion. Expect big things from these guys.