Last Punk Standing… And Other Hits!

CTMF is short for Chatham Forts; this is basically the same group as the Chatham Singers — Billy Childish on guitar and vocals, his wife Julie Hamper on bass and vocals, and Wolf Howard on drums. The lyrics are heartfelt and at times surprisingly literate (“Journey to the End of the Night”), and the music is slashing garage rock, but with much more rhythmic fluidity than one might expect from a Childish band — Julie Hamper is a genuinely great bassist who improves both her husband’s and the drummer’s playing, and a sympathetic harmony vocalist who takes lead on a couple of songs. CTMF is Childish’s current main band, and easily one of his best.