Heavy Duty Box Company - The Box

Apr 12

Heavy Duty Box Company (HDBC) are a four piece indie rock/punk band from the town of Auchterarder in Perth, they are Lewis Beck (vocals/guitar), David Robinson (vocals/guitar), Calum Grant (bass) and Steve Simpson (drums).

From the hearts and minds of two young dreamers in 1996 the band was born. David Robinson and Lewis Beck along with Danny Walker and Jamie Pennycook and (the obligatory parade of drummers before finding) Erik Proff.

Armed with a cluster of chords and an energised enthusiasm for world domination, David and Lewis wrote songs with a belief that they had something different to offer. HDBC took to the pubs, culminating in the release of their first album Who Let In The Squealing Freak!.

This release turned out to be bittersweet, rather than marking the beginning of the band, the sting of real life hit them, instead it marked the seeming end of The Heavies...

Fast forward some years, David and Lewis, who both continued throughout to create and play music in some form or another, found a renewed sense of ambition and slowly began to believe again.

And the renewed project came together with the new blood and energy of bassist Calum Grant and drummer Steve Simpson and in 2014 the dreams of two became the dreams of four.

HDBC offer up music as four friends sharing in fun times, older and wiser and more relaxed they bring with them, a sound that’s both real and unique whilst upbeat and energised, and guaranteed to get you moving.

With twenty one years of friendship and love, laughter and tears, filled with passion, pride and humility, moments of musical magic and the humbling lessons from the inevitable shitty ego-trips has gifted Lewis and David with valuable experience and a sound that they call their own.

With that experience they released their second album The Box on 3 April.

The opening track Rip Me Up starts off with an almost 60’s pop feel, before a heavier guitar riff kicks in propelling the song at a more frenzied pace with a catchy chorus “shaking of my dreams, shaking off my dreams, shaking off my dreams”. It slows down to that pop vibe again before the song is brought to a resounding finish as it repeats the chorus once more.

Medication Meditation is the next track and this starts with a heavy guitar and almost clopping drum beat, lyrics begin slow paced using the song title “Medication Meditation” with a slower echoey repeat of it, before the full punk force of the song is unleashed. I Witness is a guitar chunky song, and has a much more heavy rock feel to it, all guitar riffs and drums and very good rock vocal.

The fourth track Orbit Inane has more of a psychedelic chilled sound and a very engaging melancholy vocal and is the pick of the opening bunch for me. Trying It for Yourself continues the softer side of the band, keys, guitars and drums set the rhythm, and is very much one straight from their indie catalogue, think The Seahorses or Embrace.

The next track The Watchers, The Warriors and The Weeping, remains on a similar pace but has much heavier guitars and vocals, except during the slower chorus, however, the song takes a rip roaring turn in the last minute, as the drums pick up and a huge guitar riff drives the song to a climatic finish.

John Elder is a less than two minute dose of punk, introducing us to the lead character “well done to John Elder, lets pick your brain on the education” during the slow start, before the song concludes with an ear bursting finish screaming the chorus “it’s a crying shame”.

The next track Calibrate for me is the best song on the album, its a fucking perfect piece of indie rock, great guitar hooks and sharp drums drive this song along. I loved the clever lyrics “understanding isn’t easy, with your face so introverted, clutching loosely apron springs” and “time to face this awkward strand, it’s never easy”. Wooden Apocalypse is another short burst of head bobbing punk, nothing to complain about in this quick fire tune whatsoever.

Have I just said that Calibrate was my favourite song, because Soul Surveyor pushes it pretty damn close, it’s another banging track, great guitars, drumming and very good keys, another very indie vibe to it with a more punky edge in the lyrics and it’s heavier ending. Banging !!!

No Shit Sherlock, great track name, is next and has a more melodic rock feel to it, bordering on prog rock, allowing the guys to show off their acquired instrumentation and has a mellow vocal to go along with the chilled smooth vibe of the song. A Day Again continues melodic vibe, plenty of guitar riffs, to complement the excellent bass and drums rhythm, maybe even a touch of Mod coming out in this one, could see it sitting on a Who album.

The thirteenth and final track Times Parody is an eclectic mix of genres, almost rock ballad at times, with punky interludes, and even some psychedelic beats thrown in. Maybe at six and a half minutes it’s a tad overlong.

The boys have been quoted as saying Heavy Duty Box Company are here to create sounds and have fun whilst doing it and that makes this album a cracking listen.

I love that HDBC are brave enough to mix genres within the album, there is indie, punk, rock and prog rock chucked into the eclectic mix of tracks.

Give this a try guys, there is something in there for everyone, hopefully, this is new beginnings for Heavy Duty Box Company.

Setlist