Month: January 2010

Neck – Come Out Fighting

© 2010 Abstract Sound Records

[rating:3.5/5]

It is hard to review Celt-Punk music of any pedigree without referencing The Pogues. This is especially true when the CD is the new release from London based Celtic Folk Punkers, Neck. The obvious tie-ins are there: Tin whistles, Irish themes, traditional covers et al. There really is no denying the obvious influence, but influences aside, “Come Out Fighting”, the new release from Neck, still stands on its own two feet. This, their first official US release (in this modern age, do national boundaries really mean that much for music relases?) proffers 14 tracks of dashing daring and swaggering and a cover of MacAlpine’s Fusiliers (can’t go wrong with that one). The blend of modern and traditional keeps things lively and encourages the whisky to flow freely. Admittedly I have a particular bent for punked up traditional Celt/Folk sounds, but I imagine that I’m not exactly alone in that. If you’re a fan of Dropkick and/or Flogging Molly then “Come Out Fighting” is a perfect addition for your audio collection. On a slightly related note, the tin whistle parts throughout track four, “Tink” could easily find a home in an Irish style cover of Centerfold from J. Geils Band. I think it’d make a bang up cover. So if any of you up-and-coming McBands out there want to grab a sweet idea, it’s all yours. Bottom line: Solid Irish influenced Rock and Roll with a leaning towards the Punk side of rock. I would have gone slightly higher on the star-o-meter, but for a couple of too slow tracks, but hell, that is my call to make. Come Out troid a théann!

–Jerry Actually

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MayOrWest – We The End

©2009 MayOrWest Music

[rating:2/5]

Sometimes writing a reasonable and objective review is challenging. Right now I’m listening to “we, the end” from Hoboken New Jersey’s MayOrWest. Self-described as alternative/punk-rock, I would venture that they are more alt-emo / post punk with major metal overtones, something of an anamorph between AFI and Queensryche. The disc features 12 tracks of mid-tempo melodic rock ranging between one and five minutes in length, though arguably some of the shorter duration tracks really qualify as intros. The individual songs seem to start off well enough, but within seconds they become far too operatic for my preference. While the songs are well arranged and executed, I really am not getting it. If MayOrWest could/would harness the energy that the backup vocal chant portion of track three, “Icarus” has, I think that I could get behind this a little more, but as it sits, I’m left wondering how fast I can change the station. That said, I appreciate the double entendre of their name. Intentional or not, there is some interesting confusion in “May or West” ala mixing time and direction with a logical operator, or “Mayor West” of Family Guy fame. Bottom line is that while done well, I don’t like what it is that they are doing.

–Jerry Actually

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Ruder Than You – Creation Sounds

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© 2009 God’s Ghetto Records

[rating:3.5/5]

You know what I miss? Ska. Maybe because it was foundational in my youth and I pine for the long gone days, or more likely because ska is full on awesome, I miss ska. Thankfully I have a mailbox that occasionally gets laced with some of the good stuff. What do I have here (hear) you might ask. Well what I have is a brand new CD, Creation Sounds from Ruder Than You. This Philly ska band has been bustin’ it since back ’89 at Penn State. Eight great tracks of pick it up, dit dit dit, horn laden ska. For the uninitiated, ska music was invented by future robots that came back to the past disguised as Dutch colonists to the island for Grenada. After they invented the bicycle they grew bored and started ska bands. Ok, no really, there is a reasonably apt history of Ska on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska The jazz and calypso roots are unmistakable on Creation Sounds as is the love of music. Honestly I’m at a small loss for words, but I want to bring you the honest truth (in so far as I perceive it) I’m not as stoked on this as I would be a new MU330 disc, but I’m pretty damn pleased. Support your local ska band ladies and gents, and local or not, support ska by (buy) getting a copy of Creation Sounds new to you from Ruder Than You!

–Jerry Actually

The Singularity – A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Drunkenness

(c) 2009

[rating:4/5]

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In the interest of brevity (no, I’m not running late on deadline again. I make my own deadlines, so just shut it already.) I want to say that I love the f-ing guts out of this EP. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Drunkenness brings five originals and a Crimpshrine cover (Another Day) and let me say that it brings it well. If you like your punk rock with nicely layered and alternated vocals and hook laden riffs then by all means head on over to www.myspace.com/thesingularity and check this Bay Area band out and help spread the word. My only regret is that it is only an EP. (Oh, I also dig the album artwork)

–Jerry Actually