The Shadowcops
Big Pot of Hot
By Jillian Abbene
(SugarBuzz Richmond)
SugarBuzz Magazine
The Shadowcops love living their life in the fast lane. With massive touring, they rip the rug up wherever they go. Their forthcoming CD, ‘A Big Pot Of Hot,’ is all about mixing strains of punk and early 80’s rock and roll.
The Shadowcops’ lead vocalist, Mike Pollitt, is both brave and shows some serious balls as he leads the rest of the Shadowcops blindingly into new emerging stylings. It’s all about taking risks and smashing down the perimeters to make room for new creativity and energy. Their first track, ‘Vehement Subterfuge,’ [Mike’s ‘baby’] opens with Nat’s guitar melody as he lets go of a solitary note at the end of the verse to only introduce a precursor of ruckus drum beats and surging guitar chords.
Mike’s full-throated screamings in accapella comes off in a stream of lyrical angry observations before the shrieking, ‘Yeah!’ that follows by echo-chorus backups adding all the right reinforcements. The steady flowing M8 has the vocal footing in one-half crooning, one-half guttural 
rock shouts on the backups inbetween verse. In turn, this activates Nat’s guitar explosions of classic rock and roll. A filler of guitar chords hold up the signature framework. Three hard guitar strums holding, bleeds straight to the next track.
Five strums and a lead-in of drum ticks; a guitar squeal is upstaged by the guitar melody in ‘Putsch.’ I’ll tell you, Nat and Mike both sounded so alike, --but it is Nat that is the one scratching through the chunky fabric with feisty vocals and a one-line lyric before the punch line chorus. This song is catchy enough to memorize on the first shot. Nat’s angst is forceful in the chorus verse, as the backup screaming replies are all in punctuating, percolating energy. Approaching the bridge, scratched up guitar and a lead-up of cymbal/guitar grooves are in hyper focus before sliding back into the guitar melody to a four-bar slow down. Burning the wick down on beat, the all encompassing guttural chorused cadence in the, ‘Fuck all you infidels…’ is an intense surge of verse and crash beats before the last line is screamed out with stead-fast conviction.
A high-volumed melody with cross sections of distinctive 80’s metal infused punk makes, ‘Vaulted Sky,’ the star song on the CD. The opening is a show-down between Nat’s vocals and guitar as the first verse leads into the crash of guitar melody. Along with a high-squealed sear that drags the energy right into the crescendo, enough room is nudged to introduce the second verse. The combination of vocal backups and the cut-throat scratch croons takes revenge as a healthy dose of guitar squeals soon bows out for rock n roll riffage. It bites down on the meat of the song. Jimi Hendrix-like twiddlings initiate a psych-out as a slow tempo emerges and the totally rocks out. Repeat harmonies with Nat’s unidentifiable extra element is distinguished between rock and punk with one fiery yell, making it to the finish. Damn! The song is over already.
‘The Sleeper Awakes,’ is chock full of personified rock. Heavy-handed start/stop drums and a rippin’ signature guitar melody ascends onto a second intro and grooves in reverse—with a slower tempo stroll. Switching vocal styles, it is Mike in the guttural screams--all in old school punk n roll this time, inclusive of switching octaves in mid-verse. After the crescendoeing and precursor guitar squeal, a supremely tight M8 crashes to a slower-tempo teaser. The guitar melody takes stage once more out with a twister grip in even tempo reverting back to Mike’s resonating rebel yell stamp at the end.
An interesting melding of street punk and metal with metal-fuzzed guitar opens with, ‘Fulgaro Frango.’ Etched crystal clear, Mike’s defiant lyrics is sung by Nat who rides over the guitar and bass—taking the back seat of the belting on the first two verses. As the chorus picks up energy, I am jacked up as Nat almost loses it on the scratched bulldog shouts. Nice touch of chorus by friends: Medicine Stu, Matt Woods, and Tim Bevington. The dominating bridge has Nat and Mike alternating guitar solos, all in steady cadence. Steve breaks the beat with pounding drums as the chorus opens, ‘I break the lightning,’ which is exactly what they do--ending the songs with vindictive shouts like a passing storm. It is a short-lived ball of energy chords that is cut at the end.
The next track, ‘The Age Of Common Sense,’ has drum crashes after the recorded intro, making no hesitation as hardcore meets rock n roll. Mike’s fierce guttural vocal is stamped all over this song indicating perhaps the Shadowcops are moving into a heavier direction. With prevalent circle-pit pounding drum between each verse, the chorus is fluid with subtle harmonies as Nat
joins in on the last line of the sharp, gang chorus. The start/stop leading to the M8 creates a head-banging groove. The song opens up after the guitar squeal landing with a fast and furious sharp-noted guitar twiddling with drums. Overlapping harmonies switch one-half time increasing the crescendo one more time to self destruct with three guitar chords and a last guitar squeal.
Apart from the rest, ‘Take Yours Dave,’ is a Ramones’ inspired consumption with tinny, fuzzed- up guitar all in tight psychobilly beats. Mike’s amped and fuzzed-out vocals makes headway for even The Hives to take notice. The tempo change and syncopated verse on the chorus has the guitar melody shadowing on the words, “…time.” Adding a nice overlapping effect on vocals, as now Mike’s guttural scratches sound more like pleas as he jumps on what I consider a life-inspired core chorus, “Lights out/Cracked my head on a fruit machine/knocked out/slipped on someone’s dignity/ help me out/ I want another drunk/Comatose/Close my eyes/So I can see…” Followed by a reprieve of complete silence does not lose momentum as the tinny melody guitar spins around one more time and bites you in the ass before the guitar chords all crash.
Infamous among Manchester circles just for its camaraderie and catchy tune, ‘Calling Out The Elders,’ is prepped all in articulated angst. Nat’s accapella vocals (with only guitar strums) has Steve’s drums and guitar joining in the gang-vocalled chorus pushing the energy and intent. He is screaming the chorus at the top of his lungs as the faint guitar twiddlings spew out from underneath the chorus shouts. Switching gears, the off-beated drum thuds queue in the switch-lending that is stuffed full of riffage before rounding back to the chorus. With a surprise insert of groove guitar beats that slows to a stomp, the guitar manages to squeeze the melody out to the end.
Like a comfortable convertible all in steady groove, ‘Natura Naturans,’ chugs to a slower tempo for four bars until the tune tanks, and up emerges a guitar seer with metal chords that slice through the beat. It is here, that The Shadowcops have reached their full rock n roll potential as cymbal beats between each verse leaves space for a mean-chorded melody. The chorus has that reminiscent Van Halen upper-register harmonies [thanks to the punk rock pip trio], and you know what? To my surprise, it’s excellent. Nat lets out a sardonic laugh on the first bridge as bass burblings sets up an exhaustive set of bastardizing riffs. Here, he loans vocals license into the chorus-angst, and the second bridge rises into a head banging groove inclusive with drum triplicates, and crashing cymbal, before speeding up to an ending burst.
In comparison from their last CD to, ‘A Big Pot Of Hot,’ The Shadowcops have matured light years and have developed into a spellbinding rock n roll machine. These guys may look rather ordinary but with a little help, they can branch out their brand of Manchester mayhem and bring their asses to the USA. This isn’t ordinary punk n roll, this is The Shadowcops.
[Note: By far, one of the best punk n roll CD’s I’ve heard in a long time. I am envious to all who have the opportunity to see them live, up close and personal. Thanx to Mike for helping me sort out who sang what. You can get their CD on TNS Records www.tnsrecords.com in Europe, and also www.interpunk.com here in the USA.]
