Fastmatics takes off with new single "Broadcast"

Fastmatics return with their latest punk-infused indie single, "Broadcast." Broadcast is a thrill ride in which the band straddles the line between musical rebellion and whimsical storytelling. Dropped quietly but with little shame and a lot of attitude, this one seems like a shot to the system, a pure bolt of underground energy that doesn't pause to ask for permission before hitting top speed.

"Broadcast" is a no-nonsense tribute to the pure art of rocking fueled by a healthy dose of brute guitar riffs, a slather of distorted charm, and ratcheting energy. This is about the raw power punk was known for. At its heart, "Broadcast" is built around a comically outre idea, the tale of the first flying television set. Metaphor or mischief, Fastmatics is never slow long enough to pore over. Instead, it pushes us in and takes us for a spin. And in a world that frequently insists on over-explaining itself, something is refreshing about a band that allows its music to punch first and ask questions later.

You can also expect a track that doesn't take itself too seriously, the sound equivalent of throwing a TV out the window and then seeing it develop wings. The lyrics fly by like a runaway train, with the instrumentation barreling and leering along in one of those thrilling, urgent-classic British punk styles, and by the time they're done, you're panting and a little dizzy in all the right ways.

Fastmatics don't seem to be in this for the mainstream notoriety, but "Broadcast" is evidence that the best music tends to happen when artists are just going for a feeling, not fame. For fans of DIY punk, madcap tempos, and three-chord space-cadet frenzy, this one's a bolt from another planet that contains an exhilarating explosion of joy.

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