"Skinheads Home For Christmas" is a Christmas single in the classic pop tradition, from US hard-mod/punk band Hard Left. Brought together by the music, held together by the outrage, pressed on red vinyl for extra Christmas vibes.
Hard Left are a band borne out of a desire to explore leftist political ideas and marry them to rabble-rousing music worthy of the worldwide struggle against capital. Far from a dry exercise in doctrinaire thought, Hard Left's songs are great punk first and foremost, and ripping good fun. The band members have been involved with punk and DIY music for nearly a century combined, including time in bands like Boyracer, Juke, Whorl, Ciao Bella, Lunchbox, Black Tambourine, Kids On A Crime Spree and operating the respected labels 555 and Slumberland Records.
Initial Hard Left recording sessions in Spring 2014 led to the release of two limited edition lathe cut singles, the Situationist-inspired "What's That Sound?" and the tough-as-nails "Safety." Now they follow-up with the first fruits from their August 2014 album sessions. Carefully packaged to recall the classic look of 70s UK pop singles, "Skinheads Home For Christmas" is a thumping tune with it's tongue in cheek, but only just.
Slotting into a long tradition of holiday-themed pop singles, Hard Left bring that feeling of hopefulness to to the grittier end of the musical spectrum. And of course it's a top tune, worthy of it's street-punk lineage. On the flip side the band tear into the Bay City Roller's classic "Yesterday's Hero" with characteristic flair, amping up the tale of faded glory into an anthem of resistance.
Crammed with guitars that soar and rage, terrace chants and raw-throated vocals, the song builds to a huge climax. A worthy (and rather unlikely!) addition to the punk canon. Scattered across the east and west coasts of the US and the Arizona desert, Hard Left came together to bring you great punk, with a message of passion, resistance and hope.
Call it "utopian Oi" if you will, or "hard mod," but keep your ears open for more music soon from this compelling band.
