the bitter twins global panic!

Released: 29 June 2009 Label: Wild Kingdom

The Bitter Twins are a side-project of Anders Lindström and Sören "Sulo" Karlsson who are both members of The Hellacopters. This is the first release from the Swedish duo and is a definite homage to punk and ska music.

Global Panic! is actually quite a chilled out album, unlike the title suggests, it has plenty of memorable ska beats and on the whole it has a generally feel-good vibe to it. You can also hear the punk influences, specifically that of The Clash which is also given a nod to within the album’s sleeve artwork.

The stand out track is Riot Club which has a nice touch of anarchy thrown in but is just so damn catchy at the same time. In fact, there are plenty of moments on this album when you will be singing along before the track has finished! There is a great array of vocal styles used, quite a few guest vocalists were used and each have their own solo spots which is a nice touch and creates a nice bit of variety.

The Bitter Twins sound along the same lines as Rancid, using older styles but making them sound newer and fresher, rather than verging on just being a tribute band. This is a great listen for fans of proper punk and ska that want to hear something new!


by Claudia Glazzard