We rarely write about punk from Georgia, so it’s great to come across an interesting DIY punk discovery from Tbilisi. PANG have released a new recording, ARREST ME!, offering three tracks packed with dirty rock’n’roll attitude, energy and a healthy dose of punk cheekiness.

PANG operate somewhere between garage punk and raw rock’n’roll, driven by a distinctive female vocal. This is definitely not some polished, overproduced affair – the record feels like it was made somewhere in a garage, where a bunch of people simply decided to plug in their amps and go for it. And that’s exactly the kind of energy you can feel throughout ARREST ME!

The title track, “ARREST ME! (MR. POLICEMAN)”, plays with the classic punk conflict between punk and authority. “RED FLAG (I’M FUCKED)”, my personal favourite, is a chaotic ride about the attraction of trouble, alcohol and the realization that all the warning lights have been flashing red for quite some time. The third track, “COOL SKELETONS IN MY CLOSET (NO WAY!)”, adds another healthy dose of refusing adulthood and living according to other people’s expectations. The lyrics are straightforward, cheeky and occasionally absurd – exactly what you want from this kind of punk. They’re definitely worth reading in full.

According to their own description, PANG are “the sound of ripped pants, a point of bifurcation and youth that will never return.” I think that sums up their approach pretty damn well.

Three songs, ten minutes and no unnecessary bullshit. ARREST ME! is exactly the kind of small DIY release you can stumble across by accident and which reminds you why it’s still worth digging through Bandcamp and looking for new bands outside the mainstream. PANG from Tbilisi are definitely worth keeping an eye on.