Meryl Streek - Death To The Landlord

    

 "This country’s fucked and it’s us picking up the pieces, yet again it's us picking up the pieces."

  It's not very often that a song that runs for 5 and a half minutes gets onto the playlist for the Just Some Punk Songs show (unless it's a quiet week for new releases which this week certainly isn't) as I try to squeeze as many bands on as possible. The song I'm posting on here today is a worthy exception. It deserves a place, it needs as much exposure as possible (so come listen to the show and feel free to share this glowing recommendation : https://www.facebook.com/events/1195320701033544/).

   

  It's by an artist I've not come across previously called Meryl Streek (https://www.facebook.com/Meryl-Streek-108387658474621). He's a "politically-outspoken Irish avant garde punk producer" who's gearing up for the release, on November 4th, of a debut album titled 796. It'll be on Venn Records (https://vennrecords.com/) on vinyl (Irish Tricolour & green variants), cd and digital download : https://merylstreek.bandcamp.com/album/796

  The Bandcamp link promises us "an emotionally volatile and heart-wrenching collection of cutting edge punk that pushes genre boundaries whilst traversing extremely challenging political subject matter with aplomb and vitriol." On the evidence presented by debut single False Apologies (“‘False Apologies’ was a way to deal with my anger about the atrocities committed by the Catholic church against the young women and children of Ireland, specifically the mother and baby homes. Sadly not their only crimes, it made me sick that the government and church not only allowed this to happen but have actively tried to erase it from history. That in my mind is a step too far.”) and the follow up, Death To The Landlord, we're going to be getting an album by an exciting new artist that matches the likes of Bob Vylan and Benefits for raw passion and authenticity.

  I'm certain this isn't the last we'll hear of Meryl Streek.

  This song is pretty self explanatory. It's "aimed at every single corrupt piece of shit working for the government here in Ireland." The anger seeps from every groove on the record. The accompanying video stars Irish Father Ted comedian Joe Rooney and Molly Vulpyne From Dublin punk duo Vulpynes. The song's called Death To The Landlord... 

You’ve lied so much your teeth have become rotten Yellow and stained from all the Shite you’ve been talking And it’s left to us to pick up the pieces with smiles on our faces. Say no to wanker landlords running the country Say no to paying someone else's mortgage your whole life Say no to living in a tent and being happy with it Say no to having to pay yourself into debt to keep on top of your mental health and stability, just say no. Say no to being told lies your whole existence Say no to gentrification Say fuck off to five days a week listening to some prick telling ya how to lift a box Say no to being hardworking and getting stuck your whole life to a wife beating legend Say no to Tayto and yes to King Say no to bus drivers who can't pretend to love their Jobs for two minutes And if it was up to me... I’d have your head on a fucking plate And this song goes out to any two-faced prick politician making money off a mother and two kids for a bedsit. Your day is gonna come! I’ll be here to remind you! You’ve fucked us. And I’m supposed to be quiet? Proven to have a head like Emma O’Doherty with no brain cells to rub together. Just like her you’ve gone and proved yourself once again this country’s fucked and it’s us picking up the pieces, yet again it's us picking up the pieces. The Dail Eireann bar hopping every day because you clowns can’t fucking figure out what to do. I get panic attacks daily because of your fuck ups and I’m supposed to smile? Fuck you and take this song with yas. I’ve opened enough fortune cookies to know my wish aint coming through. Death to the Landlord! Good Riddance to yas!