The Bones - Monkeys with Guns

The latest album from Sweden's The Bones has punk rock hit written all over it.

Like a good single malt they are just getting better with every year that passes.

While some of their peers are looking to delve deeper into the street punk scene - and delivering increasingly rawer material - it sounds like The Bones are going in the opposite direction, and by grinding the rough edges off are getting ready to take a step up into the major leagues.

For every fan they turn off through polishing their punky rock and roll up they will gain two by being more accessible and delivering material that a wider audience can appreciate.

The age old 'sell out' claims could well be bandied about by older fans, but they will be the voicing of empty arguments from empty heads as this is a progression, and anyone who wants to halt the progress of a band are about to get left behind.

It's up to them really.

Jump on board or wave goodbye from the platform.

I know where I'm going to be and that's sitting comfortably in first class with a beer in my hand and a smile on my face.

Consider Social Distortion and Rancid taking a little, just a little, of the gloss of Green Days world dominating American Idiot album and what you will get is 'Monkeys with Guns'.

As distasteful as this will sound to some this is a stadium punk band in the making.

All they need is to be in the right place at the right time and the world is theirs.

It's all in the laps of the gods now as everything else is in place.

(PLY Records)