The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DIANA ROSS FT. TAME IMPALA RELEASE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SINGLE “TURN UP THE SUNSHINE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: HOUSEWIFE SHARE BRAND NEW TRACK “PATRICK BATEMAN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: STILL EIGHTEEN – “KEEP ROCKING”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: COMING UP ROSES – “WOULD YOU EVER”
SPILL FEATURE: SONGS FROM PEOPLE ARE ALSO SONGS ABOUT PEOPLE – A CONVERSATION WITH DARI MAKSYMOVA OF 6TH CROWD
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “LOSERS BEWARE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: FÉNIXDION – “SUGAR”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BIBLIOTEKA – “TICK TOCK”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: GWAR HAVE GONE BERSERK! CHECK OUT THE NEW SONG “BERSERKER MODE” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: QUEEN KWONG RELEASES HER TAKE ON A ‘POP’ SONG “WITHOUT YOU, WHATEVER”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: ART D’ECCO – “MIDLIFE CRISIS”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES SELF-TITLED THIRD STUDIO ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2 VIA LOCOMOTION/GEFFEN RECORDS
SPILL NEWS: CANADIAN PUNK LEGENDS DAYGLO ABORTIONS HIT THE ROAD WITH CITIZEN RAGE FOR A CROSS CANADA TOUR
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
94
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BILL BRUFORD - MAKING A SONG AND DANCE: A COMPLETE CAREER COLLECTION
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LATE NIGHT TROUBLE - LIGHTS OUT

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BUZZCOCKS – SENSES OUT OF CONTROL

Buzzcocks

Buzzcocks
Senses Out Of Control
Cherry Red Records

Buzzcocks formed in 1976 when Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto formed the band in Manchester, having been influenced by the erupting punk rock scene. After one EP (Spiral Scratch), Devoto left (and went on to form Magazine) and Steve Diggle was not  in the band. The core of Buzzcocks from this period on is really Shelley and Diggle. The band has split and reunited several times, but at the centre was Shelley and Diggle. Sadly, Shelley passed away in 2018, but Diggle promised to keep the band going. In 2020 Buzzcocks released their first studio recordings without Shelley (“Gotta Get Better”) and this year they are releasing a new EP as a taster for an upcoming album.

Senses Out Of Control opens the EP of the same name with a burst of energy. This is power pop or pop/punk at its finest. This song is pure Diggle. It features very powerful playing, strong guitar, and the hint of a pop melody. But it is pure energy, something he always brought to the band. However, what is missing is Shelley’s direct input, tempering the song and throwing in those curve balls that Shelley always managed to add.

However, the tempo of the EP changes with “Carnival of Illusion” , which pays homage to David Bowie. In fact the song sounds a little like Bowie’s “Look Back In Anger”, which with the power playing works rather well. The song features some clever lyrics about cancel culture and it is probably the strongest song in the set. It harkens back to the strong melodies that Shelley would bring to the table and it has a distinct Shelley influence.

The EP ends with “Hope Heaven Loves You”, which may be a tribute to Shelley. It is an interesting song with emotional lyrics and a rocking melody. It harkens back to the early 1980s sound of Buzzcocks and is a nice and suitable way to end the EP.

It is nice to have new music from Buzzcocks. However, it is somewhat bittersweet and as good as it is, Shelley is very much missed. Buzzcocks worked best with the interchange between Diggle and Shelley, and here it is simply missing. However, Senses Out Of Control is a great EP and it does make one curious as to what the band can do with an album length project. Hopefully, the wait will not be too long to hear that album. In the meantime, there is no doubt that fans will embrace this EP and enjoy the new music.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BUZZCOCKS – SENSES OUT OF CONTROL

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
8.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsbuzzccocksbuzzcockscherry red recordscherry red recordsshoward devotopeteshelleysenses out of controlsteve diggle
album review, album reviews, buzzccocks, buzzcocks, cherry red records, cherry red recordss, howard devoto, peteshelley, senses out of control, steve diggle
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsbuzzcocks
 
8.0
Thomas Dollbaum

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 20, 2022
Thomas Dollbaum Wellswood Big Legal Mess “I grew up in a small town between nowhere and nothing. By reputation, people move to Florida to run away from their problems, but instead of [...]
 
8.0
Avi Caplan
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 20, 2022
Avi Kaplan Floating On A Dream Fantasy Records One thing singer-songwriters can impress their potential audience with is their vocals. It can be any specific characteristic, from [...]
 
9.0
On-U Sound
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Various Artists Pay It All Back Vol. 8 On-U Sound Master producer/songwriter/artist Adrian Sherwood has been behind all things On-U Sound since 1979, and since then he and [...]
 
8.0
Say Sue Me

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SAY SUE ME – THE LAST THING LEFT

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Say Sue Me The Last Thing Left Damnably Sumi Choi (vocalist, guitarist) and her band Say Sue Me are from Busan, Korea. If that tells you that you would be in for some K-pop on their [...]
 
8.0
John Inghram

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN INGHRAM – JOHN INGHRAM

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
John Inghram John Inghram CD Baby John Inghram built a name for himself as a musician’s musician, particularly among artist that try to get the gist of the music that has anything [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
8.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SAY SUE ME – THE LAST THING LEFT
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN INGHRAM – JOHN INGHRAM
8.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
682
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
438
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
408
 
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
372
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
326
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
325
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
315
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
287
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
273
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
269
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZARETH – SURVIVING THE LAW
257
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
256
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES