If there'sone thing Panic Shack know, it's how to have a good time. Comprised of SarahHarvey (vocals), Meg Fretwell (guitar/backing vocals), Romi Lawrence (guitar/backingvocals), Em Smith (bass/backing vocals) and Nick Williams (drums), the bandformed in 2018 as a middle-finger to the “members-only club” atmosphere ofindie and punk scenes – not just because they’re male-dominated, but becausethey make playing music seem out of reach or, even worse, boring. “Boys makeit look so hard,” Em says, rolling her eyes. “Whenever I see someone onthe floor fiddling with their pedals with a face like a slapped arse I think,you're making this look so unattainable and it’s actually so fucking easy.”
Thiscarefree approach gives Panic Shack’s music the same effect as popping a bottleof Prosecco – explosive, intoxicating, and delightfully chaotic. With barelyany music available online, they built a word-of-mouth following off the backof their live shows, which have been praised for fusing “thrashy earlyLA-style punk with choreography that owes something to the Go-Go’s and IronMaiden all at once” (The Guardian). That quickly snowballed into tours withthe likes of Bob Vylan and Soft Play, and festival appearances at Glastonbury, Reading& Leeds, Green Man, End of the Road, SXSW and more. Released in 2022, theiracclaimed Baby Shack EP bottled the lightning they have on stage,cementing their ability to blend killer hooks with a contagious sense ofhumour. The first vinyl pressing – splattered pink, obviously – sold out almostinstantly.
To bereleased in July, Panic Shack’s self-titled debut album represents a seriouslevel up. Linking up with producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Perfume Genius, YardAct), it finds the band expanding their gutsy punk sound into fuller territory,packed with vocal harmonies, synths, electronic experimentation, and even atrumpet at one point.
Over 11breakneck tracks, Panic Shack never lets up or loses momentum. It opens withthe rising sound of chatter, glass clinking and laughter, most of which wasrecorded in the beer garden at an Amyl & the Sniffers gig. Fizzing with theanticipation of walking into a club at the start of a night out, it feels likeparty-punk’s answer to the intro of Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’. From there, thebouncy bass line and blistering guitars of ‘Girl Band Starter Band’ kick in,and the band pulls you into their world the way a friend would grab your handand drag you onto the dancefloor. “Four iced lattes / Sit outside / Smoke arolly / Sun is shining / People watching / Things are moving / Got us talking…”Sarah chants, the pace ramping up like a heartbeat beginning to race.
Across thealbum, the lyrics are conversational, often stemming from in-jokes, while thesubject matter spans the full range of the feminine experience. Whether it’severyday stuff like browsing Hinge (‘Unhinged’) and remembering everything youneed to stick in your bag because your dress has no pockets (‘Pockets’), orbroader societal issues like the impact of toxic tabloid culture on body image(‘Gok Wan’) and sexual harassment (‘SMELLARAT’), no topic is too frivolous ortoo vast. There’s no point-scoring or political commentary to be made here,though. The songs spring naturally from the way they live their lives, whichis, more often than not, with a great deal of enjoyment.
Irresistiblebecause of their simplicity and charming because of their familiarity, PanicShack are the answer to a question that, quite frankly, isn’t asked oftenenough: what if the funniest girls you know started a band? The sonicequivalent to a coming-of-age film unfolding over a single night, PanicShack takes the shape of a bender, beginning by approaching a bar andending with an impassioned speech at sunrise about how much you love yourfriends. Swerving the expected topics of sex and romance, the entire albumrevolves around the ionic bond between the four girls.
“Thisband has taken us on the most mental journey that nobody else will fullyunderstand,” saysMeg. It’s only right, then, that their debut marks a celebration of that asmuch as it does the start of a new journey entirely. “We've always wantedpeople to come in and be part of our world, and this album is every part of whoPanic Shack are. The party side, the angry side… It’s a story about us,really,” Sarah explains. “That’s why we named it after the band. Wecan't help but be ourselves.”
