Though they have been a mainstay of the UK DIY punk scene for a few years now, Ghouls still feel relatively underground and unknown. It feels like the winds are changing though with the release of their sophomore effort ‘Run’, which if all is well will see them drift into serious ‘your new favourite band’ territory.

Ghouls exist to groove. Their unique and quintessentially British take on pop-punk is designed to get heads nodding, feet tapping and fingers snapping. There is a humility and honesty to the songs that make up ‘Run’ and the band sound all the better for putting every ounce of what makes them tick into their music. Rather than just phoning it in and making an album that they know would be just perfectly fine, the band have pushed the boundaries of their genre and forged the sort of songs which are as memorable as they are daring.

The indie-esque bounce and cheekiness of ‘Facebook Friend’ feels almost nostalgic while the piercing brass that cuts through the riffing of ‘Better Places’ feels like the most refreshing brand of party starters. On the other hand, there is the folk-twinged resilience of ‘Home’ and the busking based sadness of ‘Expect Greater Things’. It all makes for an album that is not afraid to stand out and experiment without making things too weird or off-putting.

‘Run’ is the sort of album that you will find yourself pining to listen to in the dead of the night. It’s the sort of album that you will be itching to show people so you can spread the pure joy that exudes from it. It’s the sort of album that will still sound as exciting, fresh and insatiable on the 400th listen as it did on the 1st, and there aren’t many bands that can do that.

3.5/5

‘Run’ by Ghouls is released on 5th May on 1471 Records.

Ghouls links: Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

Words by Jack Rogers (@JackMRog)