Life Under the Gun
Life Under the Gun makes a strong introduction to Militarie Gun by keeping the songs short and the hooks close. Ian Shelton's voice has a damaged edge, but the band give it melodies that reach beyond a straight hardcore attack. The guitars can be bright, heavy or slightly blurred without making the record feel like a collection of unrelated styles.
Do It Faster begins with an insistent vocal bark and a direct sense of movement. Very High follows with a guitar part that is easy to remember, giving Shelton's rough delivery a more open melodic setting. The early songs establish the album's main strength: force does not have to disappear when the writing becomes catchier.
Will Logic develops that idea through contrast. A cleaner opening moves towards a heavier progression, bringing more of a 1990s alternative rock character into the sound. The band do not need a long arrangement to make the change register. Think Less takes a more abrasive route, with choppy guitar and harder drums keeping the punk side firmly in view.
My Friends Are Having a Hard Time offers a different focus. Its slower movement and turning guitar line leave more room for vulnerability, while the performance keeps the emotion from becoming overly polished. See You Around later reduces the setting further, with a mournful keyboard sound beneath the singing. The quieter moments give the following bursts more force.
There are a few places where the directness becomes too simple. Seizure of Assets feels less fully developed than the strongest material around it, and the rapid changes in approach sometimes leave an idea behind sooner than expected. The record is most effective when a clear melody and a rougher texture give each other something to work against.
The closing title track provides that balance with a firm opening push and a lighter, jangling passage along the way. It leaves the album feeling broader than its compact running time suggests. Life Under the Gun is a lively meeting point between punk urgency and accessible alternative rock. Militarie Gun retain enough friction to keep the songs from becoming smooth background music, while giving new listeners plenty of clear routes into them.
