Republic of Safety

A bit of melancholia taints the righteous Republic of Safety, as they close their borders for good with the Succession EP. Following the glorious grit of the Don Pyle-produced Vacation, Succession is a pretty clean new wave pop record containing faint hints of the endearing indignation that drove the band’s manically militant efficacy. Leader Maggie Macdonald still conveys emotional anthems with a charismatic voice but her intonations during "You’re Only Lonely” seem less urgently empowering than self-assuring. Most distressing though is the neutralisation of Jonny Dovercourt’s teeth-rattling guitar tone and riffage, which used to signal the Republic’s all-out attack on complacency. Here, Dovercourt is relegated to creating wallpaper tones throughout "Stone Cold” before finally cutting loose in the latter half of the song. That familiar spirit creeps into the title track and is finally back for the short blast of "Rip You Apart” but it’s almost too late. Featuring fine, infectious songs on every level, Succession is only unsettling because it hints at "maturity,” whereas Republic of Safety’s previous efforts have teased and tweaked such notions with the fearless optimism of young adults out to conquer the world. The grim finality of the band’s end is palpable on Succession.