February saw us usher in two cultural milestones. First up, the Chinese year of the tiger, which, according to tradition, represents bravery, courage and strength from the “king of beasts.” Additionally, 2022 is also the year of ‘Total Rest’, the debut LP from Teesside post-punk garage rockers, Onlooker, which, according to guitarist Ben, represents: “the necta things in life, like sauces and rockin'”.
Having formed in 2017, Onlooker have previously cut their teeth in the North East’s underground punk and hardcore scene as part of bands like crossover thrash metallers Lifeless and the superbly named post-hardcore band, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaind. Establishing themselves as a riotous live act, an EP and a split single with fellow North East scene veterans Ballpeen followed on Sunderland-based Serial Bowl Records, catching the ear of BBC6 Music’s Steve Lamacq who described them as: “Right up my street. Bang on the money for me.”
Unfortunately, their early momentum was brought to a screeching halt by the pandemic. Compounding their frustrations has been the all too common snail pace at which getting a vinyl record pressed is in the era of the revival, finding themselves stuck behind a never-ending queue of future charity shop staples like the new Adele album. However, this pent-up energy has been channelled into a record that is as furious as it is anthemic, with frankly excellent results.
Bursting at the seams with guitars as sharp as their moustaches and shout-along choruses delivered with a distinctly North Eastern wit and honesty, tracks like ‘If I Had A Quid’ and ‘Hard Work’ coast along with a swagger and a shuffle, offering a perfect snapshot of life as a working-class rocker looking for a way to smash the grey monotony via swinging hips and razor-sharp riffs.
Crossing the post-punk urgency of bands like Wire and Gang of Four, with the fist-pumping, spit and sawdust of classic garage-rock like The Sonics and Billy Childish, Onlooker’s self-described “angry songs in a major key” deliver on every level. In an age of pretenders and juvenile clichés, Onlooker are a refreshing tonic, the real deal, and as genuine as they are devilishly handsome.
‘Total Rest’ is available now on coloured vinyl, cassette and digital download via Serial Bowl Records.
