TV Freaks released their fourth studio album in 2020. Entitled People, we see the Hamilton, Ontario four-piece not breaking their step despite the five year wait from its predecessor 2015’s Bad Luck Charms. People is a bodacious and diverse ten-track collection full of fuzzy textures, chunky riffs and explorations into every facet of garage punk. Here you’ll find punk rock close to its classic roots. Untethered by modern production magic, this album instead dives into the genre’s scrappy origins — all elevated by a divergent songwriting prowess that encompasses everything from Iggy Pop to Joy Division.
Opener “Destined For Stardom” perfectly primes the whole record with a strutting and swaggering fuzzy rock n’ roll tune. Sweeping guitar riffs that hearken back to the glory days of glam rock pushes the narrative of this song about making it to the big leagues that much stronger. If you’re wondering how good infectious the hooks in this record are, this should be its prime example.
“Living Wrong” goes for a dystopian feel reminiscent of brit-punk. Its unnerving riffs and vertigo-inducing dissonance puts the listener into the mind of someone being relentlessly caught up (and screwed) by their own bad habits.
Follow-up “Heart of Gold” goes on in a totally different mood. This driving rhythm and anthemic melody sits best as the album’s lead single. A lung-busting rock tune about embracing and enhancing your uniqueness instead of fitting into the pressures of society: “you’re just a different shade of beige / I just can’t tell if I abide”.
“Space” is another highlight that showcases the band’s quest for versatility in their craft. This rumbling track is overlaid by a motorik beat, fueled by frenetic urgency and a constantly expansive soundscape. One that aptly represents the narrator’s journey to find a place where they truly belong.
“Saturday Night” has the strongest post-punk influence in the album. With a dystopic siren vocal steeped in repetition, howling riffs and a heart-pounding energy, this track sits in between a careless night of partying or being paranoid of a foreboding entity watching from above.
Full of memorable choruses, shifting moods and a variety of rock flavors, TV Freaks’ People is a well-rounded experience in punk and garage rock. Perfect for anyone looking for that classic, timeless sound.
