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Sometimes, I run out of smokes and have to bum them. Usually
this is during an all night drinking session. Someone else’s
brand may stave off the craving, but only yours give true
smoking satisfaction. After a few months of other people’s
music, I finally received the new Sixer, and apparently months
after everyone else. Popped that summbitch in, leaned back
with my eyes closed and let the smoky goodness fill my alveoli
sacs.
Like turning the engine over, the drums click click and the
guitars rev several times before the motor fires up. When
the pick scrapes down those strings on “Time Flies”…bliss!
The song travels through several areas of space, taking on
instruments and switching rhythms like connected rooms. With
all his gruff palooka shouting, Baker shows an assured word
placement as comfortable as a trusted friend. The energy and
motion mimic the life is hard but good message. The very topical
“Cedar St. Prison” has a little twang underneath
what could be a Cash song anyway. I read it as a figurative
prison escapee holed up and deciding how to best spend his
last minutes of freedom. If you don’t already know, punk
is folk music. The underclass sounds of protest and storytelling
from the streets. The positives are measured in the hard-knock
lessons endured. A very unusual uphill country guitar break
weaves “Sink Or Swim” into the full-band chanting.
Another uplifting piece for the naysayers. Sixer insists on
taking our disparate blue-collar traditions and melding them
to situations that apply here and now. With “Tear It
Down” the bootstrap message reaches a confrontational
stance. “ A kick to the ribs, every man can use. I’ll
try to change my ways in the coming days. But a good stiff
drink helps heal the bruise.” A gruff choir backs this
up, and I swear I even heard harmonica. If this doesn’t
inspire the crusties to make something better, then I’ll
send them to my pop’s house for a refresher.
“Revenge” comes quickly as now Baker is the one
tearing down walls. Screaming, “I will never say I’m
sorry again!” to this fist pumping anthem is quite exhilarating.
Once again Rupp slips in with a sly solo that exudes understated
confidence. Drumbeats come down like hard rain on an already
wet song. . The unexpected acoustic on “Don’t Ask
Why” adds an element of piss to convention. This one
offers a British flavor in structure as well as Baker’s
alternately sharp and slurred pronunciation. Impressive in
mood and degree that really shows the level of song craft
this crew is capable of. If this ain’t a classic, I’m
fucked. Already there’s a parody of “Fist City”
on the Sixer web board. I got this so late that I really don’t
think anyone concerned is going to read this. It’s a
slower tune but plenty of goodies to keep your attention.
Up to and including: chanting, hillbilly picking, stretched
out end phrases and Duggins muting the cymbals. And to that
you can throw in a borrowed or coincidentally shared line
from tour mates The Forgotten.
How they ever so subtly blend a sea chanty with circling
rockabilly guitar will stupefy you. “Ground Zero”
is such a rousing hand-clapping hoe down. And for you fools
who think country-punk begins with Social Distortion and ends
with Hank3, this blue-collar connection has been there all
along. It continues in “Stranger” with down home
exuberance. It fits into the package so neatly that punk purists
who can’t enjoy it must be funny turned. There’s
some fine chicken scratching on here that would make Marty
Stuart blush, and a “Turn Me Loose” spirit”
when he charges, ”I don’t want to win your rat race.”
From there, Rupp lays out a killer stooge groove with dirty-sweet
tones for the angry breakup “Story” This take on
seventies punk strips the glam and goes full bore on sleaze.
Baker grunts, “Tension in the air’s so thick. You’re
so tongue-in-cheek it makes me sick.” The minor low point
of “One Horse Town” is a flanged out guitar wank
sullying the fuzzy driving tune. It gives Martin gets a little
breathing room to throw cool rippling notes across the pond.
Outsider meddling is ignored, and true love prevails in the
better-half tribute “Dangerous.” This may be as
romantic as you’re going to get from a guy with full
sleeves loaded on testosterone. But it certainly is a sentiment
I can identify with.
I’ve called Sixer gashouse punk before, but brick house
would work as well. Each song here is solid on its own. When
you stack them together they’re hard to knock down.
One being Old Gold and ten being Winston: Saving Grace rates
nine, Marlboro lights.
The Players:
Leer Baker-Vocals/Guitar
Casey Martin-Bass
Chris Rupp-Lead Guitar
Dan Duggins-Drums
Complaints Dept.: Lay off the cymbals
— Ewan Wadharmi
Track Listing:
01. Time Flies
02. Cedar St. Prison
03. Sink Or Swim
04. Tear It Down
05. Revenge
06. Don't Ask Why
07. Fist City
08. Ground Zero
09. Stranger
10. Story
11. One Horse Town
12. Dangerous
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