Album Review: Meryl Streek, Songs For the Deceased

Two years on from his critically acclaimed debut 796, trailblazing punk maverick Meryl Streek continues his hot streak with this rage-fuelled soundtrack for these maddening times. Serving as a state-of-the-nation address (emphasis on state), the Dublin-bred producer/performer tells tales of murder, corruption, poverty and kakistocracies past and present, across 14 caustic-yet-cathartic tracks.

Featuring appearances from members of similarly-minded, speaker-buckling bands such as Benefits, The Chisel, Vulpynes and A Place To Bury Strangers, Meryl’s latest is a masterclass in uneasy listening. Littered with lyrics that will both inspire and draw ire, Streek is a proverbial force of nature and spiritual heir to Crass, Paranoid Visions, Gallows and David Holmes.

Standouts include the punk/drum and bass mash up ‘Dogs’; the bullish call-to-arms ‘Fine Jail’; and the poignant, tin whistle-led closer, ‘The Stardust’, which pays tribute to those who lost their lives in a nightclub fire in ‘81, and the families who never gave up their fight for justice.

Unflinching and unforgettable, Songs For The Deceased is a late contender for album of the year.

9/10