Cash No! – “Something For Now…”

Tracklisting:

1. Track One

2. Falling Down

3. Dominoes

4. Ketchup Is For Weiners

5. Sound Off Like You Got A Pair

6. Without Me, It's Just Aweso

7. Broken

8. If I Agreed With You We'd Both Be Wrong

Band Website:
Cash No! Myspace Profile

Reviewed by Marcus

Cash No! – “Something For Now…”

“Listen mate, what are you talking about? There’s no cash here, here there’s no cash, alright! Cash No!”

Behind a great band, there’s a great movie quote. Well, at least with Cash No! there is. What better way to start off a release than by having your band name quoted from a pretty fucking sweet movie. The quote at the beginning was from the Australian movie “Chopper” which received positive reviews when it came out about 10 years ago – a classic!

Cash No! from Melbourne, Australia are quite a new band when it comes to skate punk in the magical and far away land of Oz. The first time I heard these guys the idea of 90’s Swedish skate punk came to mind. If you like Adhesive, for example, then you’re safe to read the rest of this review. If you don’t know Adhesive, you have much to learn. Other bands that come to mind when listening to the “Something for now…” EP are Aussie punk legends Wiseheimer, and definitely that Fat Wreck sound from Strung Out and NUFAN. Aren’t all bands somewhat influenced by the latter though?

With Louis (vocals), what I like about him (and other skate punk vocalists in Australia) is that he sings with a slight Aussie accent that isn’t too intense, but just enough to know you’re not listening to the usual Canadian/American singer. In terms of the recording, and again for a first release, it’s quite high up there in my books. I say this especially due to the fact that drums, vocals, and guitars were each recorded in a different location, even in a member’s bedroom for example. On the technical side of things, the guitars are amazing and the band plays very tight! And metal influences are definitely heard in the Cash No! sound so you have that aggressive side, similar to Strung Out’s overall sound.

This release has a 8 solid tracks and for an “EP” this is no shabby first official release. These days I honestly don’t know many bands that record 8 quality tracks for a first mini-album, if you can call it that. “Track One” as it’s appropriately called, does not have a long intro or anything of that nature. You get right into the song and it immediately gets you into the energy that Cash No! would deliver on stage (lucky Australians!). Back-ups are really solid in this song, the clean and screamy ones. Additional screams were done with the help of a friend of the band, just so you know. The solo/guitarmony sequence from around 2:14 to 3:18 makes you say: Fawk yeah! “Falling Down” is the first song that the band unveiled prior to the “official” EP release and it’s definitely a fast-as-fuck and energy kicker one, although it’s short but remember, this is skate punk. “Domino’s”, immediately afterward, pretty much continues where “Falling Down” finished. If you don’t pay attention and/or don’t follow your CD display menu, you won’t notice that it’s a new song, ha – highlight in that one btw = bass solo! The bass is actually a big part of all the songs as you’ll see, a nice change. “Sound Off Like You Got A Pair” sounds like a typical metal track with its intro but don’t be fooled by the kick ass intro (for you “I’m only into punk” fans). Moving forward to the last track, “If I Agreed With You We’d Both Be Wrong” has the best melodies from Louis and it carries the guitars so well. I also realized that Cash No! are pretty damn progressive as a band so you can put that in their “genre”. In general, I like the fact that the band does not stop one bit for their last song; they keep it fast just like how they started off with this gem.

In ending, the Australian punk rock scene is understandably the scene least looked at due to its lack of proximity from… anywhere. And this is a shame because when it comes to skate punk, Australia is definitely churning out the best bands these days. Cash No! is new proof that European punk rock influences live on down under and many bands still believe in that. Like their brothers in arms Wiseheimer, Local Resident Failure and LAST, there is no need to panic in Australia. I end by saying, Heath Rowley, we all miss you, come back!