Kid Kapichi: New England

KID KAPICHI

Credit: Nick Suchak

A look at up and coming punk band, Kid Kapichi’s, new single ‘New England’. Loud, angry, and savagely unapologetic.

NEW ENGLAND NEW ENGLAND NEW ENGLAND NEW ENGLAND

“Welcome to the new world, the New England/ Come witness the greatness of Britain” spits Kid Kapichi vocalist/guitarist Jack Wilson on the band’s latest single New England, featuring fellow punk Bob Vylan. You’d have to be living under a rock to take these lyrics without a bucket load of salt, Wilson’s sarcastic snarl saying the exact opposite of ‘Britain is great’. And no wonder. At the time of writing the controversial Nationality and Borders Bill. The country feels more divided than ever. But, what about Kid Kapichi’s story so far?

The Hasting heavyweights, comprised of Jack Wilson & Ben Beetham (joint lead guitar/vocals) and George Macdonald & Eddie Lewis (drums & bass respectively), burst onto the scene in 2019 with their fiercely defiant single named after that year. The song’s rousing refrain of “If they don’t wanna give it then we’ll take it, we’re gonna take it” sets them apart from the rest of the alternative crowd; you could tell that when they sing, they really meant it. Fast forward three years and the band have released their exceptional debut album ‘This Time Next Year’ completely independently, got to number six in the official UK independent charts, and enjoyed great critical acclaim, as well as an all-but sold out UK tour.

In short, Kid Kapichi are on the way up, and with New England they deliver their best-and most important- song yet, one which will surely take them to their next step. The song’s sound is classic Kapichi: loud, angry, and savagely unapologetic. ‘New England’ is earth-shattering, yes, but it’s also a complete earworm, the “You’re such a fool Britannia” hook from the chorus one of their most ingenious yet. But more importantly than the outrageously huge sound the band have deployed on this standout single is the lyrics within it: urgent, scathing.

Words By Ben Left

“Social change no I don’t want that/ Just sitting eating crisps in my one bed apartment/ Politics that’s not my department/ But I cast my vote regardless”. This is what makes the song work; it’s about recognising the problems with yes, the people in power but also the British public, who have the power to change things. Then, switching from character to personal, Wilson and co ask “Is it you can’t change? / Or that you won’t change?” in the songs thought-provoking yet effortlessly catchy pre-chorus, holding up placards outside London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace in the fantastic music video, expertly shot by Nick Suchak. The band then launches into the chorus- and what an extraordinarily powerful chorus it is. “You’re such a fool Britannia” rages Wilson, the fury swelling up inside him as the rest of the band cascade around him, everyone venting their frustration at a nation obsessed with doing things simply because they always have done.

Kid Kapichi are a band who have stood out from the start, their mix of Specials-esque skinhead style, Slaves’ foot-stomping sound, and the cultural resistance of the Clash marking them out as ones to watch from the beginning. But even for a band like Kapichi, ‘New England’ is a song that should, and hopefully will, send them into a different sphere entirely. With the band’s biggest headline show to date at Camden’s iconic Electric Ballroom, scheduled for early May, it certainly looks as though Kid Kapichi are on their way to punk rock history. People will look back on this song as a defining musical marking point for when the people of this country did- or didn’t- do something about the deeprooted issues holding Britain back from being truly great. Kid Kapichi, though, are truly, truly, great. The swagger is searing, the lyrics spot-on. This is social commentary at its most ferocious, and it’s exactly what is needed right now.