There’s an apparent sense of defeat to Home Front’s new album title, Watch It Die—a familiarly modern apathy in the face of the laundry list of hardships we’re enduring at the hands of authoritarianism and the climate-disaster and human-rights-violation agendas they peddle. And while the Canadian synthwave band is clearly privy to these issues, their new post-punk album hews much closer to the glistening new wave of New Order than to the somber gothic sounds of Joy Division. “For us, ultimately, this is music that comes out of loss and heartbreak and failure, but I hope people have a good time listening to us,” the band shared ahead of the album’s release.
It’s this balance of upbeat emotion in the face of dire circumstances—both personal and political—that also informs the playlist that Home Front frontman Graeme MacKinnon assembled for us, which seems to double as a set of influences he and bandmate Clint Frazier referenced throughout Watch It Die’s conception. Nearly every facet of post-punk sees representation in the 10 songs they chose from artists all over the world, with nearly as many angles to attack fascism and loneliness from heard in the tracks’ lyrics.
With the album out today via La Vida Es Un Mus Discos, listen along and find details on each of their picks courtesy of MacKinnon below. You can also stream or purchase Watch It Die here.
The Jam, “Thick As Thieves”
“Thick as thieves, us, we’d stick together for all time / And we meant it, but it turns out, just for a while.” What an insightful lyric by the 21-year-old Paul Weller on The Jam’s masterpiece Setting Sons. What a perfect song about growing up and the friendships, relationships, and loves in our lives that start to fade away when we enter a different phase of life. Be it break ups, betrayals, or simply growing apart, the transition from adolescence to adulthood and leaving behind so many things that felt would last forever is something we all experience, and “Thick As Thieves” depicts it so beautifully.
Ministry, “Same Old Madness”
Although it isn’t from the period that defined Ministry’s sound and made them the industrial hall-of-famers they are today, this song is just pure punk bliss. A great synth line with a killer beat and political lyrics that makes you want to pogo through the walls with your pals. To me, this song is like a poppy Crass tune with perfect proto-industrial sounds.
Camera Silens, “C’est Comme Ca”
The wild story of lead singer Gilles Bertin—who infamously took part in a Brink's depot robbery in Toulouse in the late ’80s, who was declared dead by French authorities and lived on the lam for years before reconnecting with his kid and turning himself in in 2010—is one of those incredible stories that just makes this record a perfect platter of cold French Oi!. Bertin’s story should probably be adapted into a film screenplay, but until it does, you can throw on Realite to catch a glimpse of life in France’s drug scene. Bleak and powerful. Perfect.
Paul Hardcastle, “19”
Clint and myself were absolutely obsessed with this song throughout the demo phase of Watch It Die. The crude production with the vocal samples and hard drums makes this a classic. There’s a Vietnamese restaurant by our rehearsal space called Miss Saigon. Sorry, “S-s-s-s-saigon, s-s-s-s-saigon.”
DAF, “Der Mussolini”
This is another song that heavily influenced the writing of Watch It Die. Hard bass synth with live drums and nervous vocal delivery drenched in sweat. It’s so primitive, raw, and driving. Makes for great dance parties and night drives through cities where the neon light reflects through your windscreen. It’s simple: a great beat with lyrics warning of the hypnotic trance of fascism all while making the dance floor a sweaty mess.
Warum Joe, “Kommando”
Home Front was on tour in Belgium and our guitar player, Ian Rowley, found this record in a shop and turned me onto it. We were working on a Ramones-style song called “Young Offender” that had a driving “Havana Affair” feel to it. I remember thinking we needed a little something to make it unique and not just another Ramones rip. In steps Ian with his newly acquired Warum Joe record and this insane cover of “Commando” and inspiration was born.
Blitz, “Fatigue”
The comparisons of Blitz to Home Front are certainly warranted, as it was always our jump-off point. The band only existed for a short period of time, but delivered two hugely influential albums. But for me, it was watching the “New Age” music video in the flick UK/DK that made me a lifelong fan. Not only did “New Age” capture my imagination completely, but when I scored the 45, it was probably one of my most played singles in my twenties. Obviously “New Age” is the hit, but the flip, “Fatigue,” is just as groundbreaking, in my opinion. And again, the electric piano kicking things off opened up a door on how to blend keys with aggressive street rock.
Septimo Sello, “Espacio Vacio”
In November 2023, after our first show in Barcelona, we got off stage and this woman started to DJ a killer set. I remember being exhausted sitting by the merch table trying to catch my breath when this yet-unknown Spanish synth tune washed over me. Like hearing The Cars for the first time, “Espacio Vacio” came out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember getting up to find Clint only to have him burst into the room: “You hear this tune?!” We were both blown away in different parts of this massive venue at the same time. God bless this DJ, whoever she is, and thank god Clint asked who did this song. The 12-inch version of “Espacio Vacio” is a perfect song with perfect production. Basically a massive influence on our “pop” approach to many tunes on Watch It Die.
Depeche Mode, “Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead”
Speak & Spell is another monster record for me and Clint. We really bonded over the bouncy synth production. Some write it off as not being as dark as the later “heroin” period for the band, but beneath these happy-sounding tunes are melancholic lyrics of loneliness and alienation that really resonate with me. Maybe it’s because they came from Essex and not London that they were able to have this outsider lens, a lens similar to being a Canadian group from a northern town like Edmonton (far away from the cultural hubs of Toronto and Montreal), where you have a completely different take on life and a “future.”
Angelic Upstarts, “Never ’Ad Nothin’”
What a voice. Thomas Mensforth—a.k.a. Mensi—has one of the great voices in punk. So powerful and commanding it reaches out from the speakers and grabs you by the scruff of the neck and forces you to practice what he’s preaching. Anti-fascist, pro-union, Mensi was that giant we needed to fight against the oppressors. Rest in peace, Mensi, you went out in a puff of smoke.
