if you like your music spiky, fresh, clean and with a message, then Walking Contradiction is for you. Louie Kaye the driving force behind Walking Contradiction named his musical vehicle after a celebrated Green Day song, so that’s your starter for 10.

Walking Contradiction – let’s stroll on from there.

If you have listened to Walking Contradiction’s back catalogue you kind of know what you are getting into, but with Louie’s more recent recordings, I’ve also enjoyed hearing a development in the complexity of the project’s music. So, its still fresh and immediate, but there are tight rhythm and guitar layers to unpick too.

What’s always been part of the Walking Contradiction mix is the message in the songs. Many of us feel daily anxiety about life’s twists and turns and Louis often articulates these worries.

We have a song with See You In Hell, that’s as hard and punchy as a rat in a sack avoiding a hammer stroke. There’s no spare beats in this tune, they are all used.

The lyrics within See You In Hell are full of end of the road weary thoughts, but in context there’s also a punchy fight to keep it on the road, even as our protagonist talks about going to prison or losing their mind. I often wonder what might be going through someone’s mind as they wait in the Sainsbo’s auto till queue with their meal deal.

The recording of See You In Hell has a fresh, clear and immediate feel, courtesy of Gus at Gafro Studios. Another amazing tidy piece of work from Gus.

Walking Contradiction can be found on a stage at Huddersfield Parish on 13 August, where the band are supporting Kid Brunswick.

* words by tiggerligger

* images from Walking Contradiction’s socials