(c)2008 Mute on 2nd Wave Records
[rating:5/5]
I’m kicking myself for never listening to Mute before. This CD hasn’t left my player since it was sent, but it was time to take it out to write a review. GO GET THIS NOW. Seriously, if you like music, you should like Mute. This an amazing album — skate-punk steeped in metal, sweetened with power chords and harmonies, served up with a twist of punch-the-air songs to quench your music thirst.
I can taste the Lagwagon flavor, but Mute takes it over the edge…like a hotdog compares to gourmet imported Italian sausage. The Raven serves up 12 tasty tracks, amazingly crafted — both lyrically and musically — and beautifully presented. These guys are technically proficient, crisp, punchy, and savory. Some lyrics toe the edge of heartbreak and come back swinging, others have you banging your head or shaking it in empathy. They sing “Can’t be slowing down…” and here’s hoping they don’t.
The Raven is perfect for an afternoon barbeque or a raging party — you may need to re-up on beer, but you can just hit repeat on this CD and be sated.
-HK-47
The Welch Boys had a new album a few months ago. I’m just now getting around to reviewing it. I’m sure glad I don’t have somebody breathing down make neck about deadlines. Drinkin’ Angry is 18 tracks of blue collar anthems and street punk grit. Like their Boston brothers the Dropkick Murphys, The Welch Boys bring it to ya wit the credible sounds of hard livin’ and songs that are about real life and a whole lot about drinkin’. Raw rockin’ punk with a sing-a-long quality that is hard to resist.
So I got a package in the mail a couple weeks ago. I, of course, opened it. Normally the story might go ahead and end there, but nay. I decided that with a name like Awesome and the Asskickers I probably should go ahead and and throw up a word or two about this Floridian power trio. Um, without further adieu, here goes: Shut Up! is pretty damn sweet. The wrestling mask donning band mates, consisting of Jose Verga (Bass/Vox), Johnny Dingleberry (Drums/Vox) and Muchacho (Guitar/Vox) really know how to mix it up crazy like.
Imagine that Strongbad and his two pals decided to make an old school punk CD. 11 tracks that meander across the styles of punk gone by. The tracks are raw but they definitely have the spirit. It’s a damn fun disc to listen to. The songs are short and the tempo is quick. The comedy is fully intact. The luche libre masks are in full effect. I’ll suggest to ya one thing though, either these guys totally suck as musicians and are insanely good at faking like they aren’t or they are brilliant musicians and are insanely good at faking like they are not. Never the less, Shut Up! by Awesome and the Asskickers is easily the best CD I’m listening to right now. You just remember that the next time you have Meatball Spaghetti!
The Psycho Nubs are a great duo with an odd name. This album is fun, energetic, creative and overall awesome. Their style swings around from political-themed glam-tinged rock over to basement punk and around the corner to psychobilly. Impressively, they show no hesitation and rock all 17 tracks with a pure, musical passion that’s often lost in mainstream bands.
Oooh! Shiny! Honor Bright is everything that I love in radio music today, with none of the crap. That r-word might be enough to deter many, but I’m a big fan of Warped Tour sounding artists, and these guys are some of the best.