The Canadian duo that make up cleopatrick is here to show us all that, while it might not be the early 2000s anymore, if you like scuzzy rock, there’ll always be a time and place for it. So, if you relish letting your hair down and giving in to noisy, fuzzy riffs with plenty of amp feedback shovelled in, start streaming the pair’s debut, oddly-titled album, ‘BUMMER’. 

It’s biblically heavy in parts — verging on full-throttle punk — while other elements are softer and more sculpted. If I begin with the opening track, ‘VICTORIA PARK’, you get this muffled distortion leading the way, naughty drumming and almost-whispered vocals. It sets a moody scene that you just know is going to build and evolve into something ferocious. Let’s face it, we know ‘FAMILY VAN’ and ‘GOOD GRIEF’ — AKA my favourites — are on the tracklist. 

But before we get to those mega-singles, ‘THE DRAKE’ is fierce. It’s a masterclass in filthy alt rock, and it forces it to dawn on you that just two blokes are arranging the lot here. It’s not dissimilar to how Royal Blood initially burst into our ears, but on a far, far heavier scale. 

So, yes, returning to the slick riffs that drive ‘FAMILY VAN’, well, you just can’t beat them. This is such a ripper in its simplest form. If you aren’t throwing your head around during the chorus, something’s not gone to plan. And I get the same feel-good, upbeat rock ’n’ roll vibes from ‘GOOD GRIEF’, which follows on in its seamlessly sleek style. 

You might recognise ‘NO SWEAT’ if you went through the 4th June new release roundup. While there are some awesome thrashing drums among the ingredients, the uber-contorted melody is sheer, unapologetic raucousness. ‘WHY JULY’ and ‘PEPPERS GHOST’ are certainly ones to hear in priority order, too, as they entirely fit the record’s mould. Defying the blueprint, though, is the very short, almost random addition, ‘YA’. I’m not really sure why that’s there. And for a drum-free offering, there’s ‘2008’. 

But in case you thought the album would taper off in a flat fashion, ‘GREAT LAKES’ closes it with wall-to-wall, palate-clinging rock. 

If you only download one track, let it be: ‘FAMILY VAN’