Cleats

Right from the opening chord, it’s the punk spirit of 1977 all over again. Taking cues from UK punk fathers Stiff Little Fingers, the Clash, the Anti-Nowhere League and Johnny Moped, the Cleats continue the legacy more than two decades later. Lost Voices, Broken Strings dishes up 12 completely rocking punk numbers, accompanied by memorable sing-along choruses and a whole lot of attitude. Not to mention some great independent punk rock production, which makes this disc sound pretty damn sweet. Even though the entire disc is consistently good, the second half of it does seem more invigorating and powerful for some reason. Regardless, it’s encouraging knowing that a young band like the Cleats has managed to tap into the roots of such a vital, raw and historically important form of music. If one didn’t know any better, one would think that the Cleats were tearing the seats out of Massey Hall during the Clash’s debut performance in Toronto in 1979. Now, it’s time for them to stop writing songs about how great their hometown is and start exploring the world outside their doorstep.