Manilow - Cease and Desist (Self-Released)

Manilow are a power trio out of London, and come across as nothing short of a post-punk fan’s wet dream. On their debut EP, Cease and Desist, the band play like a greatest hits compilation, and could have easily found themselves playing clubs like the Hacienda in the early 80’s. While the band never quite reaches the angular, abrasive heights of post-punk extremists like The Fall or Delta 5, they often resemble the sound of bands like early Wire*—artists tired with punk but not entirely removed from it. In fact, the opening track, “Missing,” sounds remarkably unlike post-punk at all, but like *The Sex Pistols instead. Lead singer Dean Moston eerily mimics Johnny Rotten, snarling off political tirades against the royalty.

The second track, “Law Here”, is a five minute psuedo-dirge with a strange danceability, akin to Gang of Four. “Control Issue” is the most relentless and fastest song here, verging on hardcore, although it does provide further evidence why original hardcore was largely an American phenomenon. Not that it didn’t exist in the UK, but that it was only truly successful with the slacker generation lurking in holes across the States while England turned its head towards more artful directions. Finally, the last track “Vitamins” almost verges on goth rock territory, like a less menacing Bauhaus fronted by Paul Weller. Overall, it’s a genuinely exciting debut EP. If this existed when the band’s heroes were at their peaks, it’s possible the EP may not have sounded as magical or unique, but here and now, Cease and Desist is a fresh dose of something we’ve needed for a long time.