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Thursday, October 9, 2014

REVIEW - KITCHEN IMPLOSION "Pretty Work Brave Boys" (2014)


Kitchen Implosion "Pretty Work Brave Boys!" Associazione Culturale QuaTrad KICD0001
Release date: 5 September 2014
Running time. 33:30, 13 tracks


Kitchen Implosion is a Piedmontese/Celtic folk punk band. The guys have been around for a while with a previous folk rock incarnation of the band called In the Kitchen.  However,  they felt that the In the Kitchen format was already done, but they have a lot of things to say with a different approach. Then Kitchen Implosion, a Ramones infused folk punk band was born.

Both In the Kitchen (November 2012) and Kitchen Implosion (February 2014) have been our Band of the Month. Kitchen Implosion released a demo and they caught my attraction straightaway. Then, when I heard that the guys had released their debut album, I knew that I had to review it. Italy has a burgeoning scene and I’m proud of them. There are a lot of different bands and all of them have something special. Nevertheless,  I must admit that I was a little bit concerned. I’m trying to push new bands, but at the same time I’m a little bit fed up with the overexposed standards. And the new album has some of them.

After giving the CD a few spins, my worries had disappeared. These guys are bloody brilliant!!! “Pretty Work Brave Boys” list 13 tracks. Most of them are covers (traditional or almost traditional covers). Only 4 or 5 of them could be considered over-exposed numbers, but Kitchen Implosion have been able to present them in a different way. The rest of the songs are some Piedmontese/Italian folk numbers (5 tracks), 1 cover of a shanty (“Sam’s Gone Away”), 1 cover of a Tommy Makem song (“Four Green Fields”) and 1 self-penned tune (“Larmor Beach”). “Valsesia”, “La Bergera” and ”Larmor Beach” were previously released by In the Kitchen (Go to their Bandcamp page to listen to them), but the new versions are totally different.

The first song on the album was already on the demos and it’s a fantastic “Danny Boy” rendition in the Bruddas vein. The next number is from Piedmontese origin and it’s sung in the dialect from that region. It’s a a fast paced version featuring bagpipes and one could say that Kitchen Implosion become a sort of a Piedmontese Ramoneurs de Menhirs.

Barbagal” is another catchy number sung in Piedmontese. The song was recorded by the main Piedmontese folk band, Cantovivo, and apparently the music is from English origin.

Four Green Hills” is the best example of a Celtic punk rendition of an (almost) Traditional song. The guys have made a top-notch rendition of the Tommy Makem classic. Hats-off!

The following track is a cover of “Sam’s Gone Away”. After listening to this, you’ll be sure that Sam didn’t go away. He was taken away by the KKK.

Another track in Piedmontese, “La Bergera”. It’s an interesting rendition with accordion and tin whistle.

"Scotland the Brave" gets a DKM treatment, that is, bagpipes punk at its best. But I’d like to draw your attention to the great intro at the beginning of the track.

The Merry Ploughboy” has the three chord approach by the Ramones and it’s followed by “Valsesia”, a Partisan song which is sung in standard Italian. Amazing anti-fascist song.

One of my faves is “La maire e la filho”. I felt that this song was sung in a different dialect closer to French and the guys have told me that in fact it’s sung in Occitain/Provençal mixed with some Piedmontese. Did I tell that these guys sound like the Piedmontese Ramoneurs de Menhirs?

The album finishes up with “Larmor Beach”, an instrumental that will remind you to Quentin Tarantino films OST.

And it’s over. My advice: contact Kitchen Implosion and grab a copy of this CD. The Jewel case CD have a 4 page booklet with the lyrics to all the Italian songs and their translations into English. Most of the songs are covers, but the punk (pop) twist gives them a new lease of life and the selection of songs is remarkable. Congrats to our Italian friends. Enjoy!!!

Tracklist:

01 - Danny Boy 3:15
02 - Magg 2:09
03 - The Leaving of Liverpool 2:47
04 - Barbagal 2:27
05 - Four Green Fields 2:34
06 - Sam's Gone Away 2:06
07 - La Bergera 2:31
08 - Intro - Scotland the Brave 2:24
09 - South Australia 2:24
10 - The Merry Ploughboy 2:30
11 - Valsesia 2:49
12 - La Maire e la Filho 2:25
13 - Larmor Beach 3:04

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Review by Kinksmarkham


2 comments:

  1. Another great 2014 release which I have been privileged to purchase...so spoilt for celtic releases this year and even though this is 99% covers is a really
    great fun enjoyable record and deserves a place somewhere in my personal top celtic 2014 releases.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks again for the feedback, Steven. Glad to know that you've enjoyed the album. The Clan's debut album review will be posted soon.

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