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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

REVIEW - SMOKEY BASTARD “Tales from the Wasteland” Bomber Music (2011)


Smokey Bastard “Tales from the Wasteland” Bomber Music
Release date: 31 October 2011
Running time: 41:19, 13 tracks


Smokey Bastard defined themselves as the UK's answer to Flogging Molly and Dropckick Murphys. Their 12 track debut album ”Propping Up the Floor” was released in 2009 and I think that it made both PaddyRock and Shite’n’Onions top ten CD list of that year.

IMHO, “Propping Up the Floor” was an overrated album, as it was quite irregular. However, some tracks were excellent and they made me feel that, even if they have failed with their debut album, their future could be very interesting.

Their brand new album, “Tales from the Wasteland” is the evidence that actually they deserved more credit. The Flogging Molly and DKM influences are still there (FM on ”Wasteland" and DKM on “Eden Home” and “Cheer Up Love”) but they are open now to other sounds. for instance that of The Dreadnoughts (“Mongrel”, “Yuppie Dracula” and “Bad Reception”). Moreover, there are a couple of a capella songs (“My Song John” and “Boatepitaph”) and, fortunately, only one traditional number, The Morrison’s Jig on the track 6 tune set, “Mong Some Hoof”. I don’t know if the last track is a pisstake or a tribute, but I feel that the cover of Abba's “Mamma Mia” is great. Maybe the only weak point of the album, and I admit that it’s quite subjective, is track 11, “Dear Mol” (sorry, I don’t like the girl’s vocals)

Smokey Bastard’s second effort is far better than their debut album. Excellent mandolin and banjo sound backed by accordion and fiddle. Check out the following songs: “Wasteland”, “Eden Home”, “Mongrel” (The Dreadnoughts meet Talco),“Yuppie Dracula”, “Cheer Up Love” and “Aspirations I Have Some” (a well written song that starts as a pop-punk number and evolves into something different). Well done, boys!

Tracklist:

01 – Wasteland 3:43
02 – Token Folkin 0:42
03 – Eden Home (PT I) 3:35
04 – Mongrel 5:21
05 – My Son John 1:40
06 – Mong Some Hoof 3:33
07 – Yuppie Dracula 3:38
08 – Boatepitaph (Pt II) 0:44
09 – Cheer Up, Love (Worst Things Happen at Sea) (Pt III) 2:31
10 – Aspirations I Have Some 4:50
11 – Dear Mol 2:39
12 – Bad Reception 4:42
13 – Mamma Mia 3:12


http://smokeybastard.com
Linkhttp://www.reverbnation.com/smokeybastard
Linkhttp://www.facebook.com/smokeybastard

Lyrics:

http://smokeybastard.com/music/


Click to buy:

http://bombermusic.bigcartel.com/product/smokey-bastard-tales-from-the-wasteland

Review by Kinksmarkham


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