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Mark Linskey is one pissed off fucker. I know you
think you are, but no. Really, you’re not either. You thought
you were, but believe me this guy screams blood. Don’t even
try, he’s got cranial veins that’ll tear your spleen out.
Everyone knows how I love the gashouse punk, but these guys
are fueling up with moonshine. This is an extremely rough,
unbridled, ECW brand of gashouse punk.
"Different Breed" gets your immediate attention
by the bizarre word placement. The guy’s got so many odd lyrics
strewn around on these rhythms that the chorus makes you do
a double take. It’s all by design; of course, he knows what
he’s doing. Then, of all things, slide guitar slaps your slack-jaw
shut on "Sleep, Drive, Rock n Roll, Repeat." Uncle
Chris Lynn amazes on the six-bar-punk. The typesetter’s
nightmare "Requiem For A Patriot" is an impressively
worded socialist anthem. Hell, when have you ever heard "free-market
economy" in song? And listen to this, Nobody or
nothing is beyond reproach except the Bill of Rights. Even
the founding fathers violated this in the Act of Sedition
they cite. That must’ve been covered in College House
Rock. There’s so much propaganda packed in, that he only gets
to breathe when the boys are chanting in the back. "Fallen
Heroes" has lyrics so slyly clever that it’s easy to
overlook but difficult to choose a favorite to showcase. A
worn-out heart that can’t pretend to love someone he’s never
been, and hold the fort he can’t defend. I take it as
an overdose story. Next up, fast cars and faster women, as
clandestine love is interrupted by "Johnny Law."
An auto erotic tale spun at unlawful speeds. Linskey fills
the lines with custom-fitted couplets. As labor union folk
songs go, there’s none more coercive than the high-speed "Scab."
Linskey’s promise of a tire-iron to the head has me convinced
to honor the picket line. The unexpected ska break does nothing
to soften my conviction. Solidarity!
On a double-time version of The Dictators’ "Stay
With Me", Craighton Fischer’s turn on lead guitar
isn’t a fill-in position--the guy soars. His playing is surprisingly
spry, beautiful even. Whoever has backup duties does a bang-up
job. The original is ruined; it’s the Falcons’ song now. "Real
Tough Guy" and "I’m A Worker" are a "this Bud’s
for you" tribute to the workin’ stiffs. The Betties
get their own in "Sweet Rock n Rollin Bad-Ass Bitch."
Which is refreshingly honest (read "crass" to you
cultured types.) She gets drunk on bourbon. She likes it
on the rocks. All the guys want to get in her box. This
psychobilly number is played with startling speed and precision.
Like he’s been holding out the whole time Lynn is damn
hot, and Ben Glotzbach takes a swinging drum break.
They could do this exclusively with no complaints from this
end. The electrified country "Loyalty" is nearly
a Johnny Cash tune ‘cept a whole lot faster. Linskey
goes back to trying to overrun the music just fitting in the
words of "Wild Hearts." It sounds vaguely like "Ghost
Riders" at points, but isn’t even country this time.
I can respect that the Falcons like The Boss; they’re
Jersey boys after all, but I don’t get it. And I appreciate
that they did the folky acoustic "Disciples Of Soul",
but I don’t like it. Some folks are going to dig it. I had
an unfortunate Kid Rock ballad flashback. It shows
that Linskey can be vulnerable too, but still not beatable.
The high-octane unrecognizable version of Springsteen’s "Open
All Night" is great though. I wonder if Bruce has heard
it. I wonder if he’s seen the current Upstart Pipsqueaks.
Forget about Bruce, once Linskey sees it Skid will
have his spleen torn out.
On a street gang movie scale: If one is The Orphans in Warriors,
and ten is The Droogs from Clockwork Orange: For
Those Whose Hearts And Souls Are True rates an eight,
Lords Of Flatbush.
Complaints Dept : What’s with the name? Sounds like
a high school football team.
— Ewan Wadharmi
Track Listing:
- Different Breed
- Sleep, Drive, Rock n Roll, Repeat
- Requiem For A Patriot
- Fallen Heroes
- Johnny Law
- Scab
- Stay With Me
- Real Tough Guy
- Sweet Rock n Rollin Bad-Ass Bitch
- I’m A Worker
- Loyalty
- Wild Hearts
- Disciples Of Soul
- Open All Night
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