Mark Vennis & Different Place are a punk rock roots band from Petersfield, Hampshire, England, known for their sharp, intelligent, and politically charged songwriting. Blending punk, folk, reggae, ska, and blues, their music carries a cinematic and socially aware edge that speaks directly to contemporary realities. Drawing inspiration from The Clash, The Jam, The Kinks, Wire, Gang of Four, and roots reggae, the band stands out for its mature perspective and fearless commentary. Formed in 2009 by Mark Vennis and Dave Sweetenham, the core lineup includes Sean Quinn and Brian Gee. They have released four critically acclaimed albums, “Uncharted Water” (2012), “A Beautiful Lie or the Ugly Truth” (2018), “Fighting on All Fronts” (2020), and “Small Town Vampire (2024)”, as well as the well-received Sunrise EP. Mark Vennis is also an accomplished film producer.
“Goodbye To All That” finds Mark Vennis & Different Place operating at their most focused, ambitious, and culturally resonant. Released on February 6, 2026, the album is a bold twelve-track exploration of British identity, history, and inherited contradictions, framed through the long shadow of the British Empire. Rather than romanticising the past, the record interrogates it, using vivid storytelling to give voice to soldiers, workers, slaves, sailors, merchants, and those historically erased by imperial narratives. Vennis approaches these perspectives with empathy and moral clarity, grounding political reflection in human consequence. Musically, the album is restless and kaleidoscopic, weaving folk, blues, and rock with a distinctly punk backbone and guitar-led urgency. Influences such as Arthur by The Kinks, Setting Sons by The Jam, the militant poetry of Linton Kwesi Johnson, and the stark reflection of PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake are clearly felt, yet never imitated.
Instead, they form a lineage that Vennis extends with maturity and intent. The record’s cultural references, spanning George Orwell, Robert Graves, Powell and Pressburger, and contemporary postcolonial literature, deepen its conceptual weight without overwhelming its emotional core. Lyrically, “Goodbye To All That” confronts nationalism, racism, inequality, and militarism, challenging the myths of fairness and tolerance often used to soften imperial history. Produced, recorded, and performed by the band at Laundry Studios, the album carries a cohesive, lived-in confidence. It is not nostalgia-driven protest music, but reflective, grown-up punk, urgent, nuanced, and unafraid to ask whether Britain has truly said goodbye to all that.
Goodbye To All That Album Track List:
The Beating of the Drum:
The lyrics “The world that we knew … is about to break” frames this track by Mark Vennis & Different Place as a moment of irreversible collapse, and the music responds with unrelenting momentum. The drums dominate the arrangement, not simply as rhythm but as a symbolic force, echoing the lyric “all I can hear is the beating of the drum.” Their steady, almost ritualistic pulse drives the song forward with a sense of historical inevitability. Guitars are sharp and urgent, alternating between abrasive punk-edged strumming and darker, atmospheric textures that thicken the tension. Vennis’ vocal delivery is stern and prophetic, carrying authority without melodrama, allowing lines like “the forest burns … the rain it falls … the storm rises” to feel elemental and cyclical. Structurally, the track builds in waves, mirroring natural disaster and social upheaval simultaneously. Every musical element reinforces motion and pressure, making the song feel less like commentary and more like an unstoppable march toward consequence.
Empire Road:
“Pray for some shade … what lies beyond the trees” introduces a more reflective but equally unsettling mood in the track “Empire Road” by Mark Vennis & Different Place, and the song’s arrangement leans into restraint rather than force. The rhythm section settles into a grounded, blues-leaning groove that moves steadily without urgency, creating space for layered guitars to explore melody and texture. Subtle psychedelic touches appear in the guitar lines, which drift and curl rather than strike, reinforcing the sense of journey and discovery. Vocally, Vennis adopts a measured, almost observational tone, allowing the lyric “all that power … all that gold … on empire road” to land with quiet weight rather than accusation. The production balances warmth and unease, where familiar folk and roots elements coexist with an undercurrent of moral tension. Musically, the track feels like walking through history’s aftermath, calm on the surface, heavy beneath, making its critique of empire more haunting through subtlety.
An English Tragedy:
“It’s a wasteland of regret … division rules and hatred” strips away metaphor and lands squarely on emotional truth. The rhythm of “An English Tragedy” by Mark Vennis & Different Place is tighter and more insistent, with drums and bass locking into a restless groove that refuses comfort. Guitars are more percussive here, emphasizing repetition and tension rather than melody, reinforcing the sense of stagnation and unresolved conflict. Vennis’ vocal performance is direct and emotionally charged, delivering the lyric with clarity and controlled frustration rather than theatrical anger. The song’s structure avoids release, maintaining pressure throughout, which mirrors the lyrical theme of division that perpetuates itself. Sonically, there is little ornamentation; every element serves the message. The result is a track that feels confrontational without being chaotic, using discipline and momentum to portray a society fractured by regret and hostility, making the tragedy feel ongoing rather than historical.
Requiem:
In “Requiem”, Mark Vennis & Different Place shifts the album’s focus inward, grounding its political weight in shared human exhaustion with lines like; “Well I’m just like everybody else … want to find a way out of here”. Musically, “Requiem” is restrained and spacious, built around softer guitar voicings and minimal percussion that allow emotion to surface naturally. The arrangement breathes, using silence and sustain to heighten intimacy, while subtle melodic lines add warmth without sentimentality. Vennis’ vocal delivery is weary but sincere, especially on “tired of struggling for every piece,” which feels lived-in rather than performed. Unlike earlier tracks driven by urgency or critique, this song moves at a reflective pace, inviting empathy rather than resistance. The production favours closeness over power, creating a sense of collective vulnerability. As a closing statement, “Requiem” offers quiet resolution, reminding the listener that beneath history, conflict, and collapse lies a universal desire for relief and escape.
Goodbye To All That fuses punk, folk, and blues into a fearless, reflective exploration of Britain’s complex identity.
Daniel – Dulaxi Team
“Goodbye To All That” is a masterful, thought-provoking statement that blends history, politics, and music into a compelling artistic journey. Mark Vennis & Different Place craft a sound that is both urgent and reflective, merging punk energy with folk, blues, and rock sensibilities to explore the complexities of British identity and legacy. The album’s fearless lyricism, textured instrumentation, and cohesive vision make it a rare work that challenges as much as it captivates. For anyone seeking music that is intellectually engaging, emotionally resonant, and unapologetically bold, this album is essential listening, a modern classic that demands attention and rewards thoughtful immersion.
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