Album Review: Peter And The Test Tube Babies – Fuctifano

Age may be just a number, but even so, Oi! punks Peter And The Test Tube Babies have no right to sound this fresh, energised and exuberant on their latest album.

Original members Peter Bywaters and Derek ‘Strangefish’ Greening – who founded the band in 1978, aged just 17 – lead the charge through this vociferous set of new songs that capture the band’s original snotty spirit. After all, anyone who can write an invective about someone spending all their time on social media (Facebook Loser) and make it sound like a thrilling protest song is doing something right. Elsewhere, the band’s trademark tongue-in-cheek humour ripples through the laid-back Wanker and the quasi-surf-rock of Gravy Train, while I Ain’t Missing Her Yet is a booze-addled knees-up that makes break-ups sound almost fun.

And while there are signs of the band’s age in the chugging, boisterous Saturday Dad, it’s only because of its knowingly old man lyrics. All bands should age as disgracefully as this.

Verdict: 3/5