Taking on privilege and the corruption that follows it, So Damned Alpha is a collection of catchy punk songs with a message from London’s Bladderwrack.

By Graeme Smith

If you’ve ever looked at the behaviours of the world’s elite politicians and despaired, then you’re not alone, and Bladderwrack have the soundtrack for your ire. From Vladimir Putin to Boris Johnson, no crooked politician is safe.

Their album, So Damned Alpha, gets off on an offbeat footing with the political fireball of Vladimir’s Sad. It arrives at a insatiable groove while its lyrics take no prisoners. Sleazy Street brings with it some funk and irreverent lyrics that turn their attention closer to home. It’s a real earworm. Wrong’un sees Bladdewrack team up with The Snazzies for a moody, bass-heavy moment while things end in storytelling style with The Tale of Little Lord Hanky which skewers the moment when privilege meets reality.

Bladderwrack’s music is, in every sense, traditional punk. It doesn’t shirk from the hard messages while rocking hard with fuzzy riffs and relentless percussion. I had the joy of sharing Sleazy Street back in June 2024, and it’s great to hear it as part of a wider collection which shows consistency and range. I can’t rate Bladderwrack highly enough.

So Damned Alpha is out now and you can give it a listen below.