Judo CHOP! are a new 6 piece melodic punk band from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Although the band are new, the pieces have been falling into place for this to happen over the last couple of years, I know because I read an interview that bassist Andre Vikas (Previous/current bands: Cash No, Take Your Own, Babaganoush, 2nd Draw, Baba Yaga Orkestar, Half Nelson, Civic Big Band) did with Hysteria Mag. It’s just one of the many places I keep seeing this band mentioned and it was interesting to hear how the band recorded these songs with drums getting recorded at a professional studio and the strings (guitars/bass) getting recorded at home DIY style.
Judo CHOP! released their debut EP ‘Shelf Life’ on the 2nd of July 2021, through People of Punk Rock Records. It features 6 tracks in total and a runtime of around 25 minutes. EP art by Marcus Ward Curran (@marcuswardcurran) at MGWC Design.
From the opening track ‘Back to Winter’ (3:53) to the closing track ‘Miles’ (3:23) Judo CHOP! delivered the goods and left me wanting more and I got more when I heard the acoustic version of ‘Back to Winter’ you can listen to it here. If you heard the singles ‘Disconnected’ or ‘Shelf Life’ you can expect more of that. The vocalist for the group Murray McDonald, has a voice that is raw and emotive plus a lyrical style that is often inquisitive and reflective. If you enjoy the vocals on this you should check out Murray’s work in Japan For, he also plays guitar in that band.
I liked hearing the layers building up and down in the songs, some of those guitar parts are interwoven perfectly. The bass cuts through the mix with a great tone and plays some parts that are inspirational (listen to Shelf Life (4:13)) and the drumming is of the same high standard as the rest of the band, right from the start with ‘Back to Winter’
You can find the tracks “Disconnected” and “Shelf Life” by using this Triple J Unearthed link, you can download and/or stream those tracks and even write a review if you sign up. Here’s a Fan Link to all the other places you can listen to ‘Shelf Life’
Judo CHOP! are
Murray McDonald – Vocals
Johnny – Guitar/Vocals
Aaron – Guitar
Andre – Bass
Ollie – Drums
