Personal Punk reviews Barking Poets ‘Red EP’

BARKING POETS are a melodic punk rock band based in London, “founded in 2019 by experienced musicians from the London, Bristol and Dublin underground scenes. Their lyrics echo the concerns of our time such as climate change, racism, austerity or populist politics.” 'The Red EP' is the follow-up to their 'Southsea Sounds', and 'Back To Abnormal' EPs.

Isn’t it something how a sound rooted in the long ago – in this case, late 70s power pop and mod, with a dollop of NEWTOWN NEUROTICS‘ chunky, punky melodicism – can still sound fresh in the right hands? See opener Modern War, which plays like NEUROTICS covering SECRET AFFAIR, a mouth-watering mix I’m sure you’ll agree. The Mess I Made alternates stark, GANG OF FOUR choppiness with a viby, fulsome chorus, Arizona sticks a power pop chorus onto an earnest slice of solid, melodic punk, and Change Our Ways brings in indie rock sensibilities, jangly guitar, and crucial backing vocals, a gnarly bass running throughout. The moody Pure Blood‘s loping bass and drums, feedback hovering, builds to an anthemic chorus on an insistent, nagging highlight. By complete contrast, final track Losing Contact partly plays like a bouncy GREEN DAY take, though the vocals hold a deeper tone. With a more traditional rock sound, it nevertheless hits hard, particularly with its atmospheric denouement.

BARKING POETS wear their old school influences on their sleeve – they could have called this The 1979 EP – but, whether it’s just that everything comes around, or that traditional song-writing shines through, these songs are imbued with a freshness that I completely dig. Compelling stuff.

You can pick up a copy of Barking Poets ‘Red EP’ on CD here.

Fresh from rocking the Barfly in Camden this weekend, Barking Poets will be back, playing Slim Jim's Liquor Store in Islington, London, this Friday, 18th September.

https://personalpunk.wordpress.com/2026/09/08/barking-poets-the-red-ep-engineer-records/