Mouth Ulcers
Silent Pictures

We can bravely declare this a post-punk throwback, because Mouth Ulcers declare it instantly with the wondrous guitar sound. This is joined by the drums, the full band sound kicks in. Yes. It’s post-punk and it’s absolutely perfect.

The atmosphere this band creates is faultless, it’s haunted at every edge with the rhythm section grounding the guitar shifts while the vocal keeps to a crepuscular semi-whisper. It’s early Echo and the Bunnymen, with a flicker of Bauhaus, and executed so well it aches of a different time.

My favourite thing about this song is their awareness for creating different shapes for the theme. They could have stuck to that vibrator-rake over the rhythm guitar, but they opt not only to switch away to keep it sounding fresh, but they make the parts they switch to equally brilliant, like the muted notes in the verse with lead-guitar decorations, or the dual-lead section. I know for sure I’m going to be listening to more of this band.

Silent Pictures Video

Watch Mouth Ulcers – ‘Silent Pictures’.

Silent Pictures Lyrics

I wanna be happy
Even if I said I could
But what if I’m lonely
And the darkness bleed when I shook

I need to find a way
To swallow
The pain
And Silent Pictures
Are fading Away

Time takes
Time takes
Over
Time takes
Time takes
Over

I need to find a way
To swallow
The pain
And Silent Pictures
Are fading Away

Written by Fenton on 20th July 2026

Steve Fenton writes in our music, words, and culture categories. He was Editor in Chief for The Mag and covered live music for DV8 Magazine and Spill Magazine. He was often found in venues throughout the UK alongside ace-photographer, Mark Holloway. Steve is also a technical writer and programmer and writes gothic fiction. Steve studied Psychology at OSC, and Anarchy in the UK: A History of Punk from 1976-1978 at the University of Reading.

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