This a song with some deep lyrical meaning hidden in a slightly twangy and upbeat format. It jumps off with a quick eight seconds of acoustic guitar that sets your expectation on the melancholy side and then…kick, kick, kick you are off at a much faster pace than expected. The beats and rhythms here are definitely in the outlaw punk lane with some very distinct bass lines framing the track. This one will have you toe-tapping along for sure.
I almost reviewed “Picture in Time” for this post and if you have a chance give that one a listen also – it is one of those “simple song” stunners.
Well, I have to admit that I was surprised to see this release pop up from these Cleveland rockers. It was quite a long time ago that they had bowed out and to see them back in the groove again in very cool.
This track is nice, loud and driven right from the start and can get you a little pumped up. The lyrics are delivered in a punk style a bit reminiscent of a Bad Religion / Pennywise mixture. Backed by some tight guitars, a solid bass and really good drums this song has much to offer. Whatever… have come back around with good energy and a style similar to what they had back in the late 90’s.
If you have the time, also check out their 1997 release Youngsters – it is well produced and worth a listen (“I Want To Be” is my fav track).
There is such a nice, peaceful ten seconds that lead off this song, it makes you kind of “sitting around the backyard” kind of sleepy…and then boom! This track bangs open into a real hard driver…very awesome!
That calm intro is a very nostalgic dobro that is understated and almost under-volume. When this track takes off that dobro carries on with the accompaniment of a crashy drum line, bass, guitar, harmonica and a great sounding Hammond organ. Nice guitar solo mid-stream also and what a great ending ( I will not ruin that for you…just listen!).
Yes, I know JP Harris has a more recent album (check out JP Harris is a Trash Fire) and it actually was listening to that one which brought me right back to this former release. My favorite track off of Dogs is “When I Quit Drinking” but this one caught my attention today…I’m guessing it is going to be a real jammer of a day here!
This song, despite its sad story to tell, has a special kind of exuberance about it that convinces you everything is going to be ok. In addition to a rowdy, slightly chaotic drum beat and great guitars…that tambourine rattling away in the background levels this one up for me. You will be hitting skip back on this track a few times for sure:)
Nice and clean blues / roots music…you can get some by listening to this track 🙂
Right from the go on this song you have that classic bluegrass vibe from the spoken “let’s go to jail” opening to well played guitar and banjo. The lyrics here are simple, clear and tell a classic story of imprisonment and the perpetual desire to run free again. Great production work on this track also with nice instrument clarity and a strong vocal mix.
Some bands…with some songs… just have the ability to bring you some good old nostalgic vibes and feelings.. That is exactly what happened when I hit play on this recent release from The Copyrights. Just try it out for yourself and you will know what I mean.
This track opens nicely with some heavy drums that spring open into a great opening lyric “Joy, I need to drag you down, it feels like its been so long since we’ve had it out.” The guitar distortion really sets the mood for this song and is offset nicely by the punchy bass line…and it all goes out on a nice noisy build that abruptly cuts off…very cool.
It is not a surprise that I was happy to hear about some more music being released by this under-appreciated songwriter and his great band and associated musicians. I have previously reviewed their Rail Vodka release and that one is worth your time also …give it a listen:)
This EP features some previously released material but is still a good collection and an entry point if you have not heard any of of Carr’s music prior to this album. “Party Town USA” came out as a single release in 2021 and has a nice, clean vibe to it with an airy atmosphere and a strong drum beat through the middle of the track. “Ronnie” is up next and this song has seen several versions over the years (although I still prefer the original from “Reinventing the Dumbass”…but hey, I am a vintage-style person after all). How did it take me this long to understand the line about Third Eye Blind? I always wondered what “melted ice and Third Eye Blind” even meant…but hey…I hear it all loud and clear now! The third track is “Just South of Heaven,” and is the version from 2021 which is mixed & produced in a much more mainstream fashion than what was on the 2020 EP Neapolitan Man. This later take is definitely more accessible but that 2020 edition, which is much slower and has a disquieting yet comforting metronomic feel to it, is my preference. This album closes on “Being Zack Morris” and is a version that I do not think I have heard before…it is a strong one, a well developed song with a nice piano accompaniment.
As always Jordan Carr delivers direct, pointed songs of life, love and the general messiness of living with much heart and strong arrangements…I always feel like he sings song for and about folks like me:)
Yeah, yeah, I know, everyone loves Militarie Gun these days…I would mention that I should have written about them back in ’21 but, hey, who would believe me? But in case you do…check out “Fell On My Head” from All Roads Lead To The Gun…you will not be sorry!
This track (released in July 2024) has a bit of Semisonic in there (it’s a good thing I swear) and the booming front with the rhythmic vocal lures you into a mellow world overlaid with enough noise to keep your attention – definitely worth a listen!
The first few times I heard this one I was not “all aboard” for liking it – but I gave it a few more spins and have changed my mind. This is a good song and worth a listen.
Starting with some great fuzz, this track is loud from go and with clear, powerful vocal work. The transition into the chorus is a boomer with a sound wall backed by a deep drum line. A little buzzy solo adds some nice flavor.
Also, if you want to hear another good song and be entertained along the way…check out their video for “Blowing Things Up In The Woods” – it is a good bit of corny humor.
Yes indeed…I am hanging out in my time machine for certain this weekend…all the way back to 1996 and happy to be here! This came across my wavelength courtesy of the KC Punk Archive who are preserving the “punk-adjacent music from the greater KC / Lawrence metro area from the 1980s through the mid 2000s”…and what a great project!
I picked this track after listening to the entire album mostly because it called me right back to the 90’s both in tone and arrangement – that slightly distorted yet still twangy guitar intro, a drum drop-in and then all together for a well-delivered and catchy track. The message sent out is simple but still effective even after all these years and a line like “one and one don’t make one, it’s more like eleven with you,” is just darn good.
jack mesenbourg 