REVIEW - SAINTS & SINNERS "Stand by to Board" (2012)

Saints & Sinners "Stand by to Board" DGR 010 LP 8 tracks + DGR 010CD 12 tracks
Release date: 14 April 2012
CD Running time: 40:07, 12 tracks (8 LP + 4 EP)

Saints & Sinners “Pubcrawlers” was one of the best EPs last year. In fact CFPAM readers votes pushed them to no. 5. The lads from Tours recorded new tracks this winter and they have recently released their debut album, “Stand by to Board”.

The standard edition (vinyl) includes 8 tracks, 7 new songs and “Blood, Heart & Memories” which was previously released on the “Dirty Guy Rock Vol. 01” compilation (2010). Together with the vinyl they are giving away for free the CD edition, which includes four bonus tracks (all the songs from the “Pubcrawlers” EP) and has a different artwork.

There are no big changes, but real improvements: more fiddle,  more aggressive vocals and some whistle and flute by guest Roman Leloup on tracks no. 1, 3 and 5. No, Floi, Simon, Math et Julien have not let you down.

Which would be the numbers to check out? The opening track “Demons Go Out” (great sound based on tin whistle and violin together with powerful lead and background vocals and some clapping), “From Laugh to Tears” (my fave, IMHO their biggest effort to date), “Choosing Another Way” (harmonica can be heard on this song) and “Life’s Not a Bed of Roses”.

Saints & Sinners identity was clear on their EP from 2011, raw folk-punk. And that’s what we got now, folk punk songs about booze, women and the sea. Fortunately they have evolved in that direction and have turned a deaf ear to the siren song (the one that says that they should have moved to the Celtic end)

Track lististing:

1 - Demons Go Out 3:58
2 - Stand By To Board 2:43
3 - Boy Became Man
4 - From Laugh To Tears 4:12
5 - World's Origin
6 - Choosing Another Way 2:53
7 - Life's Not A Bed Of Roses 3:06
8 - Blood, Heart & Memories 3:38
9 - Pubcrawlers 3:47
10 - Mac Ragan 2:36
11 - No Way Layout 3:17
12 - Saints & Sinners 3:33

http://www.facebook.com/saintsandsinners.37/info
http://www.myspace.com/saintssinnersfloi
http://saintsandsinners.bandcamp.com

Click to buy (vinyl + CD):

http://www.dirtyguysrock.com/DGRwebshop/product.php?id_product=24 (LP + CD)

http://saintsandsinners37.bigcartel.com/product/stand-by-to-board-10-cd (LP + CD)

http://saintsandsinners37.bigcartel.com/product/stand-by-to-board-cd-only-preorder-soon (CD)

http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=203207&

Review by Kinksmarkham