Kaleko Urdangak – a skinhead rock’n’roll band from the Basque Country – have built a name for themselves on the scene with their strong melodic songs and energetic live shows. I’ve heard them compared to genre legends Cock Sparrer several times. While I personally hear some differences in the sound of the two bands, it’s completely clear to me why that comparison comes up. It mainly comes down to the fact that Kaleko Urdangak can effortlessly write a song that’s catchy, built around a powerful chorus, and by the second listen the audience is already singing along with the band.
This LP is basically a maxi EP – or whatever you want to call this format today. What would have ended up on a 7-inch record a few years ago now quite often appears on the LP format. Apparently, that’s because producing 7-inch vinyl has become relatively expensive, so it’s more economical to release even shorter material on a full-size record. In any case, this release contains four songs – one on side A and three on side B. It came out in an edition of 300 copies on black vinyl and 100 copies on clear vinyl. The record was released by the label Tough Ain’t Enough and includes all lyrics, along with translations into Spanish and English. The artwork was done by Ramon GD, which is practically a guarantee of quality.
On side A you’ll find the title track Haria Eten Ez Dadin. It’s a fairly melancholic song with lyrics about fading childhood, passing on experience, and changing perspectives in life. A few years ago I probably would have understood it differently, but as a parent I sometimes have similar feelings, so I completely understand what the band wanted to express. The song Labana Bat is an expression of resistance against the modern world, while Kaskamotzak deals with the classic theme of subcultural life and growing older within the skinhead scene. The final track, Askatasun Haizea, is a call for Basque independence.
Imagine a Saturday afternoon when your football team has just won the league. The weather is great, the sun is shining, and you know you’re going to spend the whole weekend with your friends drinking in pub gardens, singing terrace chants, having fun and going wild. Later in the evening the guitars come out and the whole crew starts partying together with a local streetpunk band. When you mix all those moments together, you get exactly the feeling of how Kaleko Urdangak sound on this record. Four songs, four hits of strong and melodic street punk in a slightly exotic language that fits the music perfectly. One of the top street punk bands out there today, and clearly in excellent form. Every track is incredibly strong and you’ll find yourself spinning it again and again.
