The Campaign 1984
Blood For Nashville
7.4
Jesus. Another singer totally biting Grey Matter and 3, but god damned if the band backing him up isn't a rock and roll bitch and a half. It's not metal. I won't even pretend. This is straight punk rock that would fit in well with a ticket of Supersuckers, Rancid and Face to Face. What the band lacks in metal they make up for in full-on rock and roll tremor. This is a band to take your girl to go see so you can A: dance, B: drink and C: fight and still feel good about yourself in the morning.
Fine and good, but it's not metal. It goes great with metal, but is not metal. As such you better be well aware of what you are getting into. What you might enjoy is the chord progressions and the energy, and the fact that this band is not pretending. But you will not have your head taken off, nor will you get your shred on. The solos are good rock solos, but these fuckers are not going to be worrying Anata on the tech front. And the production is decidedly punk. In fact it resembles the best stuff from Soul Asylum - pre "...And the Horse" era - more than shitty "punk" bands like Blink 182.
I won't spend a shitload of time on this one, spec wise, because if you are THAT punk that you need to know every nuance, why the fuck did you come here in the first place? And if you are a metalhead who is maybe just curious, you are getting all you need. The songs take the style of a Rolling Stones based rock and roll band that fell into a post hardcore vat of Supersucker filth. The musicianship is above punk average and fits the sloppy faux blues-based rocker image the band is projecting. I already addressed production.
As an aside, the song titles are gems. "God Don't Need A Damn: He Can Walk On Water" and "Mix Tape For Danzig". Consider my doors wide open and my table set.
Bottom Line: I have unlimited space in my heart for real rock and roll, and at its heart, all good punk is real rock and roll. And this is good punk, albeit slightly too close to the contemporary mean in some aspects, but at least it's not entirely three chord downstroke chop and muted two-stringers like the rest of its class. It's honest to god - tongue in cheek - rock and roll songwriting played with sarcasm and good cheer. It's the perfect redress to an overdose of techdeath or blackpomp or even pop punk sugar coated breakfast cereal inanity. Does it get old before it's time? Yeah, but very little in the way of punk can be taken in large doses. Nevertheless, and despite it's obvious unmetal style, this fucker gets a nod.
