Album Review: Alcopop! Records - We Grew Up On A Diet Of Jurassic Park And Sensible Soccer (And All We've Got Left Is This Lousy Record Label)

Alcopop make a great habit of snapping up some of the best talent the UK has to offer, and this knack for discovery has offered a platform for some amazing bands over the past five years. With this in mind it’s no surprise that on its fifth birthday Alcopop! Records is letting loose its 50th release. 'We Grew Up On A Diet Of Jurassic Park And Sensible Soccer (And All We've Got Left Is This Lousy Record Label)’ is a 17 track compilation CD that celebrates the past five years in true Alcopop fashion, with some of the finest artwork you’ll see this year, and a bloody jacket. No seriously, a jacket made by Dickies.

The release takes you on a nostalgic journey from past bands such as Encyclopedia, goFASTER>>, 4 Or 5 Magicians and Data.Select.Party. Through to personal favourites, The Attika State with ‘Recycle’ and Jumping Ships with ‘Heart And Hope’. Both bands offering up a passionate and fast fuelled approach to a classic pop punk sound. My First Tooth also steps up to deliver their beautiful, melody driven indie folk with ‘Margaret Yen’. Appearances from Johnny Foreigner, Screaming Maldini and Ute also push the present proceedings, while Cut The Blue Wire left me wondering why on earth I hadn’t heard of them sooner. The pop tinged aggression is reminiscent of a rawer This City, however sadly this only allows you to reminisce the past of Alcopop, as the band split in 2009.

With this being a celebration it wouldn’t be right to dissect and critique every track, with any compilation you’re going to love some tracks and dislike others, but then again that’s what they are all about. The element of mystery and hope of discovering a new gem reflects the work that Alcopop has done for the past five years. ‘We Grew Up On...’ simply illustrates a great past and present as an independent label. Besides, nobody needs another monologue on why independent labels should be supported, mainly because the answer is obvious. This release simply proves why they are so important, along with enough hits to keep you pleased for a long while.

4/5

'We Grew Up On A Diet Of Jurassic Park And Sensible Soccer (And All We've Got Left Is This Lousy Record Label)’ is released on Alcopop Records on July 4th.

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Connor O’Brien