REVIEW I kept wanting to play the first track over and over. Driving balls-out pure bar-scene energy.
Then the band quickly settles into an unsettling groove that absolutely pulls no punches.
"Gone" is the first track about a possible murder, and a relationship gone down the toilet. And this is the fun tune.
It's amazing what you get when you least expect it. The album is "Menace" by, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House on the In Music We Trust label. I requested the album thinking it would be some kind of Dread Zeppelin or Weird Al spoof record. If not that, a light-hearted rap record.
I could not have been more wrong.
The music bruises Tom Petty, Buddy Holly, Charlie Daniels and System of a Down, with songs written by Oklahoma native Mike Damron, a former boxer and, for three years, a soldier in the 101st Airborne / Air Assault. (And not to be confused with this guy)
This background is perhaps even more surprising to some, in light of the type of songs that follow.
I apologize in advance to the 99.99999 percent of readers who won't follow me on this - but these guys reminded me most of the English group, Dogs D'Amour. From the cartoon-artwork, to the scratch-abilly roots-rock vocals it was an unexpected reminder of a sincere band that had grudging respect. (See also Love / Hate and Life, Sex and Death and Hanoi Rocks)
This is especially true of "Pauline" a cayenne-gargling, Pogues-like diapason for perhaps a child's second love - grandma. You can substitute your own Pauline who might have, "taught me how to die."
"All life's mysteries got answers
If you look hard enough
All life's illusions taken from you
When you get buried in the ground
Pauline taught me how to die
When I was 17."
Damron is the elder of the group of group of 20-somethings (like a solo Ozzy) that includes guitarist “Handsome” Jon Burbank, bassist Mole Harris, drummer Flapjack Texas, and harmonica player David Lipkind.
It's amazing to hear such quality from a band few have heard of - though I guess that's how most bands start.
Article comments
1 - HW Saxton
I live in Vegas and these guys play in a
local Punk Rock type dive bar around the
corner from my house called the "Cooler
Lounge" all of the muthafuggin' time. It
took me by surprise to see this review
to say the least.They are lots of fun in
a live setting but I've honestly never
once heard their discs. Wow,small world.
Glad ya dug 'em though.
2 - Temple Stark
Have you heard the Phelps song? How DOES it go over?
3 - HW Saxton
TS, yeah they almost always do that one.
It goes over really well. The punks like
the bouncier thrashing "Country" kinda
stuff. Pretty comical scene watching the
punkers moshing around to these guys.If
I see they're playing anytime soon I'll
pass along word of your review.I'm not
much into this kinda stuff anymore but I
hang out at the dump(understatement)they
always play at because it's a 1/2 block
from my crib.
4 - Eric Olsen
the punk-country stuff has a later Social D kind of feel, although Mike Ness is a more, um polished singer.
Very nice job Temple, thanks! Dawn and I liked the last quite a bit too.
5 - Temple Stark
Please point out typos. I will not take offense. Bearing in mind this will be Googled plenty, I want to fix them. My name's attached.
And thanks Eric. Glad Dawn likes em too.
6 - Temple Stark
oh -and thanks for the update HW
7 - Cindy Chaffin
So perhaps one might say that I'm slightly biased since Mike Damron's brother happens to be my best friend...but lemme tell ya, it ain't true.
All 3 albums are solid and extremely good.
Also, I booked SOB here in Dallas a few weeks back (which was the first time I'd seen them live) and it blew me completely away. In fact, it was one of the best performances I've seen from ANY band in a long time.
Check out SOB, you'll love 'em too...now off to link to this great review! Thanks Temple!
8 - Temple Stark
Google really does work :). I've kept this album on my long listening list.