WRUV Reviews

The Mahones- The Black Irish
Release date: 2011Jan01(US)
Label: Whiskey Devil Records
Rating: 5/5

The Mahones? Who? Can’t say I’ve ever heard of them. That’s why I’m reviewing this album, which was released back in January in the U.S. If you’re not familiar (face it, you’re not), The Mahones are what I’ve seen described as the Canadian equivalent to bands such as Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys. But, let’s not pigeonhole them too much as they are influenced by The Pogues, The Clash and Husker Du among others.  “A Great Night On The Lash” is very upbeat and inspires much toe-tapping here. Much like The Pogues and the Dropkick Murphys, The Mahones cover “The Wild Rover.” Their version is more raucous in contrast to the slowed down version of the former and latter. Tracks that really got me going were “A Pain From Yesterday”, “The Blood Is On Your Hands”, “Give It All You Got (Or Forget About It)”, “Whiskey Under The Bridge”, “Paint The Town Red 2010 (The Fighter mix)” and “Here Comes A Regular” (a bonus track!). I really like this album and I really hope to dig into this band some more. They’ve been around for 20 years but for some reason, I never heard them. Well, I’m glad I did now. Check this out!!!

FCC: Check
Try: ALL

Krum Bums- Cut The Noose
Release date: 2011Aug23 (US)
Label: People Like You
Rating: 4.5/5

The Krum Bums are back with a vengeance and I’ve decided to check out Cut The Noose. I reviewed their last effort and have been looking forward to this release since. “Population Control” starts things on a serious manner with menacing punk riffs infused with hardcore sensibility. “Action City” is more uptempo while “Poison Myself” prides itself on being short, fast and loud. Tracks that really stand out to me include “Hit & Run”, “Gallows” (there’s a strong Bad Religion feel here that I really dig), “(Get Away)” (grungy in comparison to the other tracks), “Injection” (very much like old school Anti-Flag) and “High Highs, Low Lows”. With Cut The Noose, the Krum Bums have started to lay down their own style. They clarified their influences a lot more on this release and are no doubt a force to be reckoned in punk rock. I look forward to future releases.

FCC: 1,2,3,9
Try: 1, 3, 5,8, 10, 11, 13

Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine- Enhanced Methods of Questioning
Release date: 2011May31
Label: Alternative Tentacles
Rating: 4.5/5

I had a load of fun reviewing the first album from this group and I was stoked to find out about this release (albeit a bit late). The lineup is the same and the song titles are as zany as ever with a longer running time for “Metamorphosis Exploration on Deviation Street Jam”.  Let the hijinks commence! “Dot Com Monte Carlo” starts things off with a sound that’s reminiscent of Jello’s other projects.  It’s all good here. “The Cells That Will Not Die” has a decent old-school DKs sound with a touch of Black Flag. The lyrics are bold and catchy as well. I knew I would not be disappointed. “Victory Stinks” is decent but leaves me longing for something catchier.  “Invasion of the Mind Snatchers” sounds more like the Buzzcocks than the current incarnation of that group. Another strong pick! “Miracle Penis Highway” seems to drag on for too long but the final track ties it all together.  Slow and sinister, it’s highly reminiscent of a certain long DKs track. It even manages to incorporate a bit of jazz. If you’ve got the patience, listen to the whole thing at once. In conclusion, this is another fun album from Jello and the boys. Better late than never to find out!

FCC: 1,
Try: 1, 2, 6

Mickey- Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreamer
Release date: 2011Jun07
Label: Hozac Records
Rating: 3.5/5

Mickey hail from Chicago and their sound is similar to that of the New York Dolls, T.Rex, Dead Boys and other similar bands. “Dance” starts things off as an anthem that has a strong 1970s street punk feel to it. “Summer Night” is much the same as the lead singer does his best to imitate the swagger of David Johansen. Other highlights include “Rock and Roll Dreamer”, “Bright Lights”, “Kids Crazy In Love”, “Dream With Me” and “Baby We’re Gold”. This is a very fun record and one of the few vinyl reviews that I’ve done. It’s a great release if you like garage rock and early-mid 70s punk!

FCC: 1,
Try: 1,2,4,5, 9, 10

Big D and the Kids Table- For the Damned, the Dumb & the Delirious
Release date: 2011Jul05
Label: SideOneDummy
Rating: 4.5/5

I last reviewed 2009’s Fluent In Stroll and judging by that review, I didn’t seem too thrilled about it. I can honestly say that I don’t get that vibe with this latest release. “Walls” is poppy and fun skacore, which is what Big D is well known for. I detect strong hints of Operation Ivy with some Mighty Mighty Bosstones thrown in.  Ditto for “Clothes Off”, which is also very fun to listen to! “Modern American Gypsy” is the most soulful expression of David McWane on vocals while “Rotten” mimics the poppy ska-punk of OPIV with a touch of the Selecter. I love it. “Destination Gone Astray” should be one of the focus tracks but isn’t for some reason. I love the vocals and the overall structure. “It’s Raining Zombies on Wall Street” is catchy as it is political while “Good Looking” is the best homage to older ska I’ve heard in a while. Overall, this is an excellent album from Big D and the Kids Table and I feel it’s much more vibrant and balanced than Fluent in Stroll. Check it out!

FCC: 1,2,4,6,10,12,13,15,17
Try: 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 12, 16

Drive A- The World In Shambles
Release date: 2011Aug09
Label: Dead Conflict Records
Rating: 3.5/5

I have to admit that I couldn’t find much biographical information on Drive A. Not to worry as I’ll go by what I hear.  A spoken intro starts things off. It’s quickly followed by “Revolt”, a track that brings to mind a cross between Rancid and Anti-Flag. The vocals are a bit high as well. “Young C**ts”, which seems to rip off the Misfits, especially in that ripping bass line. “Belligerent Time Bomb” is a fun track that’s short, fast and very derivative of the Dead Kennedys. So far, it seems like Drive A has a lot of good influences, though I find it funny that their prior album was pop-punk gunk. Regardless, a few other tracks stand out: “The World In Shambles” (longer and with more musical effort), “Demented” (reminds me of Bleach-era Nirvana), “Shallow Security” and “Human Black Hole”. This is a very fun album for fans of the bands mentioned above. There’s nothing new here but at least it’s not some horrible pop punk. I could still do without the cliched album cover, song titles and so forth. It’s something for Drive A to work on for their next album.

FCC: 2,3,5,7,8,12,13
Try: 2,3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14

400 Blows- Sickness & Health
Release date: 2011Aug23
Label: ORG Music
Rating: 4.5/5

This is the fourth release from LA noise punk group, 400 Blows. The lineup is very interesting as it consists of Skot Alexander, Scott Martin (Big Business) and Kevin Fitzgerald (Circle Jerks). The band name itself sounds like a reference to the film of the same name directed by Francois Truffaut. The overall sound of 400 Blows consists of a mix of noisy punk and old-school hardcore, which I enjoy very much. “Stop The End” has a marvelous time signature with the fast-paced drums of Fitzgerald that mesh with Skot Alexander’s vocals. “Bad Man’s Blues” stands out because it re-creates the furor of the early-80s LA scene. Can Fitzgerald pound the skins or what? “When The Time Passes Slowly” and “The Rescue Party” stand out with the former containing weird, nearly psychedelic vibes while the latter is the sonic equivalent of a blow to the fucking head.  I gotta admit, 400 Blows is a band to watch and they already have a lot going for them thanks to the hard work of Fitzgerald. I recommend you check them out soon!

FCC: ?
Try: 1,4,6,11

Bomb The Music Industry!- Vacation
Release date: 2011Jul26
Label: Ernest Jenning
Rating: 3.5/5

This is the latest release from Bomb The Music Industry! “Campaign For A Better Next Weekend” starts things out on a sappy note. I’m not digging it. “Vocal Coach” is catchy and much, much better with the right amount of poppy punk and a strong resemblance to Rancid. “Everybody That You Love” is even better. At first, I didn’t think that I would like Bomb The Music Industry! but the more I listen, the more it grows on me. A few other tracks that I enjoy are “Why, Oh Why, Oh Why, (Oh, Oh, Oh)” and “Felt Just Like Vacation”. I couldn’t get into the slower, sappy tracks but other than that, it’s a decent album. Check it out.

FCC: 1, 5,10,11,13
Try: 2, 3, 8, 13

The Dirty Love- Black and White
Release date: 2011May20
Label: Self-Released
Rating: 4.5/5

The Dirty Love hail from Australia and while they aren’t a traditional punk rock band, they do have punk overtones. This is evident in the track “Radio Revolution”, which has the fuzz of late 70s brit punk crossed with the early 80s LA scene. For some reason, I like to think X when I listen. “Disbeliever” has the sneering, sniveling attitude down pat while “Kings and Queens” is the most musically diverse of all tracks I’ve heard so far. Lots of toe-tapping thanks to the killer drum line. “Girl Won’t Dance” has a structure that reminds me of a grungier Blue Oyster Cult. Yes, it’s odd, isn’t it?  I also enjoyed “Black and White”, “Killer Bees” and “Buffalo”.

I’m in love with The Dirty Love. Another excellent album that I did not see crossing my desk until now. As I said, it’s not a traditional punk record but fans of excellent indie rock, punk and even older classic rock may appreciate this effort.

FCC: 1
Try: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11

The Reveling- Tributaries
Release date: 2011Jun21
Label: Black Numbers
Rating: 4.5/5

The Reveling hail from the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. I’d describe their overall sound as poppy, highly reminiscent of bands from the Fat Wreck scene. That being said, I’ve never heard of The Reveling until now so here goes. “Revival” has a lot of melodies and it’s very soft-edged with a decent poppy backbeat to it. “Charlotte Thompson” could easily pass as something from MTX or NUFAN. “Left at Forkright” brings the focus back to the melodies while “Black and Tan” introduces some grittiness to the mix. “Unglued” and “Last Act” are also excellent.

The Reveling is a solid act that can put forth a convincing punk record that isn’t TOO cheesy or poppy. I’d like to see more from them down the road. Until then, check this out too!

FCC: 2, 11
Try: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9