REVIEW: Gallus - Cool To Drive

Since their inception, Gallus have felt like a band on a leash. As far back as their early singles, it was obvious that a riotous punk band was within them, but neutered by a hesitation to move away from their somewhat bland indie sensibilities. On Cool To Drive, that handbrake is released: gone are the milquetoast melodies spattered across their previous album We Don’t Like The People We’ve Become, replaced with concise, high-velocity punk bangers.

Gallus’ newfound vitality is immediately evident on the opening title track. Right from the outset, Paul Ewins’ bone-shaking drumming comes to the forefront, whilst his brother Eamon and Gianluca Bernacci provide wonderfully noisy guitar riffs. These elements combine with Barry Dolan’s shouted tale of self-destruction to create one of the band's strongest songs to date, and the highlight of this EP.

Cool To Drive appears to mark a conscious decision from the Glaswegian five-piece to lean into the strongest components of their previous records. As with the opener, ‘Depressed Beyond Tablets’ brings an undeniable frantic energy, and although its lyrics cover mental health issues in a somewhat unnuanced and derivative manner, this doesn’t overshadow the extremely moshable instrumentation.

As a now fully-fledged punk outfit, it was only a matter of time until Gallus waded explicitly into social commentary, and they do so proficiently on ‘Perfect Health’. Underpinned by Matthew McGoldrick’s moody bassline, Dolan covers the dystopian modern state of healthcare, from online quack remedies to privatisation, all whilst drawing from his own experiences with body image issues. It is impressive to see someone who has predominantly been an introspective songwriter relate his experiences to a wider societal issue so seamlessly.

Unfortunately, this rich vein of lyrical form is not maintained on ‘Just Desserts’. An attempted takedown of pretentious post-punk bands, Dolan’s rapped lyrics are cliched and clunkily delivered, which is a shame, especially given the fantastic groove that accompanies him. Bands such as Sports Team and Yard Act have produced similar, far more cutting attacks on this specific subgenre, and Gallus’ jabs at “high-rolled jeans and pedophile ‘taches” seem petty by comparison.

The relentlessly angry closer ‘It Bit’ ensures that the EP recovers from this blip and finishes strong. With a fuzzy bassline to be proud of, Dolan combines an unflinching self-love (“I am Barry and that’s how I like it”) with an aggressive attack on anyone who attempts to stand in his way.

Closing with the EP’s heaviest song feels like a statement of intent for Gallus, an affirmation that they are fully committed to the louder direction they've pivoted to on Cool To Drive, and want you to remember it. Though not reinventing the wheel, it is a welcome injection of impetus into their sound, and puts them in a strong position to become one of the UK’s most exciting bands of the late 2020s

Score: 7/10

Cool To Drive will be released on April 11th 2025 via Marshall Records.

Words: Ali Glen

Photos: Gallus