Review: Choke City / Wenches – Split EP
Well, you know what they say, it’s always the cool kids that are late to the party, and by fuck, are we late. On July 31st of 2023, my favourite good-time hard-edge punk rock band Wenches released a four-track, two tracks on each side, seven-inch split EP with their good pals Choke City, and my lord is it riotous.
No B sides, only double A sides, both bands have laid down some kick ass tunage, guaranteed to have you moving your butts, and then some.
Released in a very DIY way, each single comes in its very own one-off, handmade sleeve, and of the one hundred printed, fifty have the Wenches design on the front, and fifty have a Choke City sleeve, so no two are the same. Individually numbered too, they are fucking incredible. But enough about the super cool covers, let’s get to the good stuff inside.
Working in alphabetical order, first up is Choke City. Completely unknown to me previously, the mere fact that they are releasing an EP with Wenches sits very well with me indeed. I don’t know much about the band, beyond the fact that they are a trio and hail from the U S of A.
With a sound which hits right in the jugular of American punk rock, Choke City spew forth two tracks, Drug Store Girl and Vacant Tonight. There’s a real garage rock sound going on here, and as a native of the United Kingdom, this is the sound I conjure up when I think of American garage rock bands. It sounds incredibly rough and ready, which is such a refreshing change, as far too much modern music is so overly produced, that to hear something underproduced in its nature really hits at legitimacy.
both bands have laid down some kick ass tunage, guaranteed to have you moving your butts, and then some…
Both tracks have a real swagger to them, and what I like the most is the fact that at any moment it feels like they could just fall apart spectacularly. But therein lays the charm, it is so full of energy, and gusto, that its essence literally carries the band through.
By parallel, Wenches swagger up to the plate, and take an arena smashing whack at their contributions.
Part hard-rocking good-time punk slammers, part retro goodness metalheads, Wenches are the ultimate good time hard-rocking party band. Previous album Effin’ Gnarly was one of my favourite albums of 2021, with its huge anthemic tunes, good time feel, and hints of Motörhead and AC/DC, it was a firm kick to the balls, that I’m sure Lemmy himself would have loved to have been witness to.
Such is the energy on Buzzkiller and Throw Me to The Wolves, that it’s impossible to choose a favourite, both are equally intoxicating. Throw Me to The Wolves has such a breakneck punk rock feel, it is instantly infectious, while Buzzkiller is just an epic slab of punk rock goodness. One thing is for certain though, it’s impossible to resist the band’s charm. Pounding drums, huge guitar riffs, and whiskey drenched gravelly vocals, what’s not to love?
And that’s the thing with Wenches, there isn’t a reason to dislike them. Everything they do is filled with such energy and love, that it’s contagious.
Coming in at less than twenty minutes, the four tracks are guaranteed to get any party started, even a wake. If you are looking for something high-octane, punk rock, and fun, then this split is the place, be quick though, these unique EP’s won’t last long. I have one in my very hands, and it’s just an epic slab of greatness.
Label: Tokyo Fist Records | Master Kontrol Audio
Choke City: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Wenches: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
