Not having previously known a thing about Hostage Life, it took just a few nanoseconds upon mounting their CD into iTunes for me to see what sort of music they had in store for me, greeted as I was with such fantastic eye-grabbing titles as ‘When I Get Cancer’, ‘****, I Hope You’re Not Pregnant’, or ‘Hostage Life Are ****ing Alive And Well’.

‘Walking Papers’ is the second full-length album from the Toronto 5-piece, released in the UK under London-based punk label, Household Name. Stalwarts on the scene in their hometown, one excited Ontario reviewer calls the album “hands-down the best release to come from a Toronto punk band in at least five years”. The record seems to be pretty much a concept album: about themselves. This is either very postmodern or very narcissistic, although I’m swaying toward the latter. It’s funny though, because as it’s a punk album this doesn’t seem to matter and kind of gives a license to do whatever the hell they want, which is absolutely fine by me.

The opening 56-second introductory pledge, ‘We Will Make You Crawl’, sounds a little too Andrew-WK for my liking, but track 2 makes up for it in jaunty Less-Than-Jake style.
They blitz through the first five songs, including acely-titled single ‘This Song Was Written By A Committee’ containing some kickass guitar soloing. Then they slow things down just a little on ‘Securing my Seat’ which sounds positively indie-rock by comparison, but gives a nice breather and some cunning riffage. Another highlight is ‘Hostage Life Are ****ing Alive And Well’, which affirms exactly what it says on the tin. They save the best until last however, on ‘Hell Awaits Hostage Life’, which has a definite prog-punk American-Idiot air to it, and at the start and the end of the track almost sounds as if they’re breathing the same Ontario air as Broken Social Scene (which is quite a compliment), although turned up to 11 and with a little less laziness and haziness.

Overall, no new musical ground is trodden here, but the album will definitely appeal to fans of Rancid, Bad Religion, or label-mates Capdown.
‘Closet Monster’, the band of the head of their Canadian label, are recently disbanded, but judging by this rip-roaring effort, ‘Hostage Life’ have some mileage left in them yet.


Chris Thomas