Mention ‘seedy’, ‘ooze’, and ‘Swedish Punk’ in a press release and you’ve guaranteed my attention. Throw in the offer of free beer and wine and you hit my Achilles heels. Whatever the cost of a can of Stockholm’s finest and the price of its shipping to England, and however unlikely that is (and I hope they do prove me wrong), ‘Taxi’ is a primitive pleasure.

Primal throwback late-70s dumb-punk with penny pinched fuzzed-up production. Vocals that gurn with adolescent indifference through a single line half-anthem chorus. A repetitive bass riff that grinds itself home under wailing and scratched out guitars… this all makes for a fat-bellied thrill. Yes it’s a cheap kick, a paper thin throwaway, but that’s by design and for fun. It might not yet be the caliber of ‘Young Loud And Snotty’, ‘L.A.M.F’, or ‘Hate To Say I Told You So’, but it’s a direct and worthy descendant. There is however a definite joy to the retro-brat ego and noise.

We don’t mine the world’s problems or strip down emotions, it’s as puerile as nights out and agro. And now, even that, the idea of a cab after rain / beer soaked nights and the bawling around in the backseats, even that feels like some long gone era. Between the garage production that runs through the track, and its subject now dated by our Covid new order, this song has matured overnight. It’s been less than a month since ‘Taxi’ was released and it’s already got lost-gem potential.

‘Taxi’ could belong on a revived compilation of obscure and unheard of scuzz. As it is, it’s out now on Soundcloud and Spotify and it’s a satisfying fuzz-addled fix.

Find this track and others from ROTR featured artists right here on Rats On Run Radio.