If you'd told me in 2014, after the release of the Cheap Thrills / Who Would Ever EPs, and then their debut LP, Philly punks Beach Slang would be releasing their third album in the second week of 2020, I'd have already marked it down as a potential record of the year. Fast forward five years, two full albums, an acoustic album and multiple line-up changes later, the excitement of hearing those early releases seems a long time ago, to the extent that I very nearly didn't pre-order this new record.
Their second album was released very quickly after their first and, for me, always lacked that raw kick of the earlier stuff. Then, over the the last few years, the band seem to have increasingly become the James Alex Experience – the lead singer and one remaining and original member. Indeed, the artwork on the front cover of this new record is just a picture of him, complete with the familiar knees bent, head thrown back pose wearing his trademark tux and bow tie combo. It's a very cool picture, but leaves you in no doubt this is very much James's record.
Also, whenever I saw them live more recently, they were good, but I missed the days of JP, Ruben and latterly Ed being in the band. Their sound had shifted from the early punk that first attracted me, to a more rock n roll, emo-tinged tone – something I like, but I don't always love. And they also seemed to take a step back from the punk scene itself, choosing to tour as a support band to the likes of Jimmy Eat World and The Goo Goo Dolls.
Yet, despite all of these reasons for me not to get this new record, eventually I just thought, 'hey it's Beach Slang. I've got to order this!'
The album starts with All The Kids In LA. The classical intro quickly gives way to the feedback and crashing guitar and drums I love the band for with the start of the record's second, and one of the stand out tracks, Let It Ride. It's familiar Beach Slang – husky vocals with poetic lyrics coupled with the hooks and fast guitar. It's a strong start to the album.
The third song is Bam Rang Rang and is the song that was released online last year before the whole album. It didn't grab me then and it doesn't now, but if you like the song Atom Bomb from their second album this is pretty much a carbon copy.
James has never made any secret of his influences and love of bands such as Jawbreaker, Hüsker Dü and particularly The Replacements. It's impossible to read an interview with him without him mentioning his love of all things Mats-based at some point. Their last single was a double A-sided cover of Bob Mould and Paul Westerberg and, indeed, like his heroes, the band even broke up whilst on stage a few years ago. On the fourth track, Tommy in the 80s, they've gone one step further than trying to sound like The Replacements by getting Tommy Stinson to actually play bass on it as well (the song isn't about Stinson, rather Tommy Keene, another of James's heroes who passed away a couple of years ago). It sounds exactly how imagine James wants it to sound like – The Replacements power-popped up to the max and I kind of love him and the song for that.
At this point in the record we then find two new acoustic tracks next to each other. Don't get me wrong, I love striped down, acoustic punk, but we had a whole album of it from Quiet Slang recently and I don't want to hear this on a new, full band album now. Nobody Say Nothing and Nowhere Bus are both beautiful songs that merge into each other, but they feel out of place here and I'm left unsure as to why they've been included on this record.
Stiff, Born To Raise Hell and Sticky Thumbs all follow – all solid tracks, but none that instantly grab me.
The penultimate track is Kicking Over Bottles, which is probably my favourite on the album. We're back to the fast, power guitars but with the addition of horns that I'm sure will prove to be a popular live track.
It concludes with Bar No One, another beautiful acoustic track that's seven minutes long. But whilst I've no problem concluding an album with a track like this, I now can't help wondering why four of the 11 tracks on this album are now acoustic songs.
There's no doubt The Deadbeat Bang Of Heartbreak City is an album that's been crafted by a passionate musician. James wears his heart on his sleeve to the extent that his soft, often flowery trope-laden language has come in for some stick, which is really not cool. But it does mean the familiar James Alex lyrics and themes referencing young angst, love, knock backs, starry dreams and self doubt all come through. It also means that I'm sure the Hard Luck Kids will love this album, but it is far more reminiscent of A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings than their early stuff. So if you see those early EPs and The Things We Do album as their high water mark, and you're looking for any repeat of that sound, this record will not be for you.
But, it's catchy enough in parts and so if you're into The Replacements power-pop sound you should give it a chance. I doubt James Alex's catalogue of work is going to be remembered like Paul Westerberg's, but that shouldn't be a reason not to take this album for what it is – enjoyable, nostalgic, rock and roll, power-pop.
Stream and download The Deadbeat Bang Of Heartbreak City here.
Like Beach Slang here.
This review was written by Chris Bishton.
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