Album Review: The Distance Between by Arms & Hearts (by Emma Prew)

We all know that 2020 has been difficult and strange year for a lot of reasons. It’s been an odd year for new music although there has been plenty of it, all things considered. Personally, despite starting the year being excited to discover new artists and hear new albums from my existing favourite artists, it got to a point over the summer and into autumn where I just wasn’t that enthused about listening to music in general – new or otherwise. There have however been some exceptions to that, including the album I’m going to be talking about today!

The Distance Between is the much-anticipated debut full-length from Manchester-based Arms & Hearts that was released on 13th November. We’ve been fans of solo songwriter Steve Millar, aka Arms & Hearts, and his heartfelt acoustic punk for almost as long as this blog has been around. I know fellow CPRW contributor Richard was very impressed by this album so hopefully I can do it some kind of justice in my review. Read on and see what you think…

The Distance Between opens with the somewhat bleakly titled Epitaphs. After a few seconds of an almost eerie sounding fade in, the track begins with some firm strummed acoustic guitar chords. The first lines of the song – ‘I didn’t come here to talk about dying, but lately it’s all that I’ve been thinking about’ – are indeed pretty bleak but it also feels honest and genuine. The song is about dealing with feelings of existential dread that unfortunately goes hand in hand with suffering from depression. There’s a sense of building throughout Epitaphs that feels very appropriate for an opening track and it leads us nicely into track number two. Kerouac On A Minimum Wage is up next and the pace is immediately ramped up for this melodic and catchy tune. There’s a lot more going on instrument-wise here compared to Epitaphs with steady drums, great layered guitar parts, subtle baking vocals (which I believe are courtesy of Sam Moloney of Mixtape Saints) and a decent dose of harmonica – have I mentioned that I love a bit of harmonica? The song is about working in a soul destroying minimum wage job in our unavoidably capitalist society and struggling to make ends meet – ‘This is how we live when we ain't really living, this is how it feels when the wheels ain't spinning, cursing Christmas lights as we welcome another year, another year of just scraping by’. It’s definitely one of my favourites on the album, maybe even one of my favourite songs of 2020. Track number three, Forever The Pessimist, opens with a wonderful melodic electric guitar part that is backed up by acoustic strumming. One of the things that immediately struck me about this album, particularly compared to some of Arms & Hearts’ previous releases, is just how much fuller their sound is. A full band Arms & Hearts live performance is certainly something I’d love to see one day. Forever The Pessimist is about Steve’s journey to sobriety and coming to terms with the fact that alcohol isn’t a suitable coping mechanism when you’re already struggling. It’s hopefully a song that some listeners will be able to relate to and find comfort in.

Obviously, by this point of The Distance Between, we know that this isn’t exactly a cheery, sunshine and rainbows album – but let’s face it, that’s not really my cup of tea. Things do however take a seemingly darker turn with Static. At the start of the song, the guitar playing is muted and Steve’s vocal feel bitter as he begins to sing of struggles with his mental health, focussing on the unpleasantness of having a panic attack. A real highlight of the track is towards the end when Steve’s vocals are complimented with backing harmonies – ‘because all I wanted was to feel something now all I feel is nothing, all I feel is empty’. It’s something that I know would/will sound incredible live. The fifth song, Community, features Jared Hart from New Jersey punk bands The Scandals and Mercy Union. The song is about life on the road as a touring musician and the sacrifices you have to make – both physically and mentally – in order to be able to do so, something that both Steve and Jared both know a thing or two about. Often the life of a touring musician can be glorified as a life of partying and seeing the world but the reality, at least for DIY punk musicians, is not so black and white. I’ve said it a few times already but this is going to be another great tune to sing along to in a live setting – it’s even got some classic punk rock whoa-oh-ohs. Up next is Out For Blood which, if I remember rightly, was the first single released from The Distance Between earlier this year – check out the excellent video by Fish Outta Water Films. This is definitely one of the more upbeat songs on the album and I mean that both in terms of melody and subject matter. Out For Blood is about eliminating toxic people from your life and the track is pure catharsis to listen to. You also can’t complain about the infectious nature of the chorus, even if it does have the potential to get stuck in your head for days. ‘If you're out for blood then come and get some, If you're out for blood then come and get some, If this year's taught me anything it’s how evil people can be, If you're out for blood then come and get some, If you're out for blood then come and get some, if you bring the lighter fluid I'll bring something to make a spark, and we'll burn it down.’

The seventh track on The Distance Between is titled Worry In The Walls. It’s a slower paced and more stripped back song than some of the others on the album but that simply allows the listener to fully focus on the emotion in Steve’s voice – ‘Will we ever find the money, to live half a life?, all this work to live to work beats it out of me’. It could perhaps be said that there’s a bit of a New Jersey influence throughout Arms & Hearts’ music – often compared, understandably, to Brian Fallon – and on Worry In The Walls I am definitely getting Bruce Springsteen vibes. The haunting harmonica playing that breaks up the song and the horns towards the end further support this. The penultimate song on the album is its title track, The Distance Between. Starting slowly with a muted guitar part and hushed vocals, The Distance Between gradually builds into something with such a huge, dare I say epic, sound. It’s unlike anything else on the album before it – very much a full band affair with layer upon layer of dreamlike guitar parts. The song reaches its final crescendo with thirty seconds to go before fading out in a distorted fuzz. The album could have ended there and it probably would have made perfect sense… It doesn’t and that’s okay because what comes next is the icing on the cake for me. Fortitude is not a new Arms & Hearts song, having originally been recorded in 2017 and featuring as a live set closer for many years, but I was so happy to hear it as The Distance Between’s closing track. I’m sure I’m not the only one who would consider Fortitude to be my favourite Arms & Hearts song and this new version is just even more wonderful. It’s an acoustic track that somehow manages to have such a big sound and instantly begs you to sing along with Steve. There are some flawless group backing vocals on the track that really give it a similar feeling to hearing the song live. I love it and it’s honestly just awesome to finish listening to the album with a big smile on my face.

I was always going to like whatever Arms & Hearts released next but The Distance Between has surpassed my debut album expectations. Yes, it’s got some quite dark and, at times, miserable subject matter but there’s also a real catharsis to it all and there’s no denying that it ends on a more hopeful note. An excellent album in a not so excellent year.

Stream, download and [pre]order the vinyl on Bandcamp now and like Arms & Hearts on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Hymns For Wizard's Castle by The Ativans

I first came across The Ativans on one of my Bandcamp Discovery adventures. I feel like I was probably searching specifically within Canada as it’s a conveyor belt for amazing punk bands. The artwork for the seven track EP Hymns For Wizard’s Castle caught my eye with its cityscape imagery and straight clean lines. The band are a four piece from Calgary and Hymns For Wizard’s Castle is their second release after 2015’s Landlocked.

The EP begins with Don’t Know. This is a short and sweet song that really wets your appetite for the rest of the EP. It begins with a high tempo and has a garage punk feel to it with its buzzing guitars and distorted vocals. If you’re new to The Ativans this is a great taster of what to expect from the band. This is followed up by Without You. The guitars continue to buzz on the track but it has a cleaner production, making it fit nicely into the realm of pop punk. It also sounds as if there is more melody in the song. This is probably down to the slightly slower tempo of the song. Without You is about the aftermath of a relationship and seeing how well your ex-partner is doing by themselves. The third song, Means A Lot, is an instantly infectious track that will have you nodding your head and tapping your toes in no time at all. The track feels like an introspective one where the band’s lead singer looks deep down inside themselves and thinks about things they could have done better. The track also features some nice guitar solos that allow the band to show off their musical ability as well as giving an extra element to their sound.

Carmaggedon Chameleon is the track on Hymns For Wizard’s Castle that stands out the most. The song has a longer build that the previous three songs and when the vocals do come in they grab you immediately. There’s an added gruffness to the delivery that I adored, it gives the track an added bit of intensity which I think had been missing from the EP. The track is about the damage that cars are doing to the planet and how we’re all to blame for this. One thing I wish the song did have is more gang vocals on the chorus – it would have been so good. Next is Gavin’s Dad Is On Acid. I found myself singing along to the chorus of this one pretty quickly. Obviously, it’s about Gavin’s dad’s drug habits although hopefully it’s all fictional, rather than a true story. Regardless of whether the story is true or not, it’s a fun sing-along and does put a smile on my face.

The penultimate song is titled Garrison Cres.. The Ativans slow things back down slightly for this track, giving the EP a bit more variety. The song feels quite sombre overall but the band do manage to add catharsis to the chorus. The lead singer sings “it’s all that I’ve got left to give” as if they can finally admit it and it feels like a release. There is a fairly extended instrumental that leads towards the song’s final chorus that fills the song out nicely – I particularly enjoyed the bassline in that section of the song. Last up is the brilliantly titled Back To The Start. There’s a positivity oozing out of the track that I loved – I really enjoy when an EP or album finishes on a bright and positive note and Hymns For Wizard’s Castle certainly does that. It’s about learning from your mistakes and endeavouring to make yourself better, something we should all aim to do. 

I’m not sure why there was such a long time between Ativans releases but I’m sure this EP is more than worth the wait for long time listeners of the band. And if you’re new to the band, like me, then this is a great introduction to them and I’ll definitely be spending some time listening to the band’s previous release. Another great band from Canada!

Stream and download Hymns For Wizard’s Castle on Bandcamp here.

Like The Ativans on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Revolving Doors by …Whatever That Means

We first featured …Whatever That Means back in 2016 after they released a fantastic split with Burn Burn Burn. Now, after four long years, the band have released their third full length album – Revolving Doors. The Seoul, South Korea based three piece play melodic pop punk music and are one of the hardest working bands in Asia. Over the years they’ve played shows with Strike Anywhere, FCFive, The One Thought Moment and NoOpinion. When I saw that Revolving Doors had been released, I was super keen to revisit a band I enjoyed so much four years ago.

The album begins with its title track, Revolving Doors. The song is just fifty three seconds long but is really memorable due to its catchy lyrics. The song is about feeling as if you’re stuck in a cycle and constantly having to start again. Perhaps this a nod to the length of time between releases. Next up is Prisoner 503 (The President). The track begins with a Korean language audio clip which features some guitar tone being faded in before the vocals come in. Whereas Revolving Doors was quite a poppy track, Prisoner 503 feels like a 90s skate punk favourite that’s been freshened up. The track is about two sides of the political landscape coming together when they know that things aren’t right and need a change. The gang vocals shouts of “who are you working for?!” work really well as a tool to combine a crowd and I imagine this is quite powerful in a live setting. Up next is Can’t Be Wrong. What I really enjoyed about this track is that this is the first time on the album that the band showcase their male and female lead vocals combined. Both singers take a verse each at the beginning before harmonising for one another on the chorus. Can’t Be Wrong is just over a minute long and is packed with energy. There’s a definite feel of early Bad Religion on the song and you can’t go wrong with that.

The fourth track is The Inside and again shows off the pop side of …Whatever That Means’ sound. This song starts out feeling like a great anthem for living life to the fullest and living it your own way but as it progresses it takes a bit of a darker turn, as the singer speaks about how hard it can be mentally trying to put on a front about how good your life seems. This song is probably relevant to so many people. We all want to seem as if we’re living our best lives but many of us to struggle to keep up the facade and we shouldn’t feel pressured to do so. I Need To Know is a Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers cover. It has a rock ’n’ roll edge to it that helps it stand apart from many of the other tracks on the album. ...Whatever That Means breathe new life into the song by upping the tempo of the track and giving it a bit more bite. The song is about the falling apart of a relationship, whether it’s professionally or in your private life, and feeling as if you’ve been left in a state of limbo, not knowing what is going on and where you stand. This is a horrible and frustrating feeling and is definitely another song I find relatable. The sixth song is 68, 22 and is an acoustic track. I was a little surprised to find an acoustic track at this stage of Revolving Doors but it really stands out because of its placement in the album. This is a campfire punk rock sing-along that’s an ode to the places that punks call a home, the places where we feel accepted and where we get our educations. This song really got me emotionally as we’re currently living in a time where I can’t go to my punk rock home. Beautiful song.

Next up is the song Red Flags which features JaeHyun of The Kitsches. Red Flags gives the album and injection of energy and aggression that is really quite striking. The song is about the stress that exams can put on young people and the mental anguish it can cause. This is without a doubt one of the hardest hitting songs on Revolving Doors and JaeHyun’s screams add so much intensity to the track. Save The Union keeps the energy high with another fresh take on the classic skate punk sound. This song again utilises the male and female vocalists that really helps ...Whatever That Means stand out amongst their contemporaries in the genre. I can’t think of any skate punk bands that feature male and female lead vocalists – if you know more please let me know. When the song began I instantly thought of Pennywise with the heavier side of skate punk, except Pennywise haven’t released anything this good for years. The vocals from the verses come out at breakneck speed leaving you amped for a massive sing-along chorus. The song itself is about coming to a crossroads in a relationship where things aren’t as good as they once were and trying to work out in what direction things should go. The penultimate track, So Much To Say, wastes no time in getting started with the vocals jumping right out of the gate. Once again, the band take inspiration from 90s skate punk for a track that I imagine would have appeared in loads of skateboard films if it was written twenty five years ago. The album is completed by I Can’t Take It (The Totally Bummed Out Drew Smith Version). For those unaware Drew Smith is a former member of Burn Burn Burn and the owner of the awesome Tiny Dragon Music. This is the second acoustic track on the album. Rather than being another uplifting song like 68, 22, this is a sadder track about being stuck in a rut, hating your life and struggling to get out of bed. There’s a sadness in the vocals but also a frustration and anger that really gives the song an interesting sound that will really rouse the listener. This is obviously something a lot of people will relate to so I imagine there will be a massive feeling of catharsis amongst the listeners of this song, especially if they get to hear it live.

What a fantastic album Revolving Doors is! I would assume that there aren’t many (if any) readers of CPRW who are checking out the South Korean punk rock scene. If all the bands are anywhere near as good as …Whatever That Means then we definitely should be.

Stream and download Revolving Doors on Bandcamp here.

Like …Whatever That Means on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Humbucker by Moving Targets (by Chris Bishton)

Moving Targets are a band I've loved for decades. Alt-punks from Boston, Massachusetts they formed in the early 80s, split in the mid 90s, only to reform again thanks to the force behind the band – lead guitarist, vocalist and all round powerhouse, Kenny Chambers. Apparently he wasn't finished as he set about recruiting new members Emilen Catalan and Yves Thibault, resulting in a comeback album and European tour last year.

Humbucker is their sixth album and the second in the last two years. Great news for us that they didn't come back for one last hurrah, rather Chambers seems reinvigorated, although apparently it nearly didn't happen as he needed a nailing biting dash to the airport to get on one of the last planes out of the US to Canada before the COVID lockdown in order to record the album.

I love the fact that he made that flight. Wires, their album from last year, was one of my favourites and it marked a glorious return after 25 years. Truly brilliant to hear a band that I have such a soft spot for put out such a great record after such a long time away. A second album in quick succession was always going to be a bonus and Humbucker provides that great alt-punk sound from a band that's been reborn.

The first track is The Hole. It's got a typical Targets vibe to it. A bit of Hüsker Dü, meets Pegboy, meets Dinosaur Jr. Is that indie, alt-punk or simply punk? I dunno, but it's a great song and possibly my favourite on the album.

Opposite is beautiful. It's mid-tempo, but with peaks and troughs of alluring guitar and lead vocals from Chambers and delicate ahhh-ahhh backing harmonies. Lost incorporates an acoustic guitar at the start of the track and has me kind of hypnotised once the electric guitar kicks in. I love it.

Feed is heavier. Big, strong guitars that almost have a grungy feel about them, before Harder Than The Rest follows which picks up the pace. Chambers' guitar dominates for over a minute before his vocals kick in. It's another contender for my favourite on the album.

World Gone Mad comes half way through the album. This song, along with Make It Right, are familiar as they were released on a split with The Swipes earlier this year. They're good songs but I do now find myself wondering why they've been included on this album when they were also on another release just a few months ago. But, I quickly admonish myself – you can't have too much of a good thing right?

Waiting For You is also on both these releases although on the split it's an acoustic track whereas on Humbucker is gets the full electric treatment. It's unusual for bands to "reimagine" tracks this way round. Usually it's the electric tracks that get the acoustic makeover, but this way round leaves me loving the new supercharged electric version.

Throughout the album there are massive guitars, but it's not agitated, distraught or out of control. Having listened to Humbucker all the way through many times now, I'll say that I don't rank it as high as Wires. But then again, I never expected to. Wires really was spectacular. But the thing for me is Humbacker is still a great album that, critically, doesn't leave me thinking a band can't sustain quality after what must have been a huge effort to start making and releasing records again.

There are a lot of songs on this new one. Fifteen to be precise, which I also think makes it a little too long. Twelve is the optimum number for me, but this is nit-picking. I'll take this as a sign that their creative juices are flowing and they've got more to come.

I should have seen the band when they played London last year, but in the end I couldn't make it because the gig turned out to be a matinee. As I'm writing this, I'm kinda aware that pre-COVID I would having been planning to go to The Fest about now where they would have been one of my must see bands. I was so looking forward to both of these until the universe conspired against me, so now I'm spinning the latest album and looking forward to next year when it has to be third time lucky.

Stream and download Humbucker on Bandcamp here.

Like Moving Targets on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: How's The Carry On!? by Sophisticated Dingo

I first discovered Melbourne, Australia’s Sophisticated Dingo due to CPRW’s Marcus buying their latest EP How’s The Carry On!? on Bandcamp. I’m always keen to check out bands I haven’t heard before so I clicked the play button. I discovered a delightful indie/garage punk act and knew I had to review them and share them with the CPRW audience.

The EP begins with the song Vultures. The first thing that struck me about the song was how much noise the band, who are just a two piece, could make. Sophisticated Dingo somehow have a huge sound that you would expect from a four piece band not just two. I assume that a large part of this is done with the use of effects pedals. The vocals are so distinctive, they are of a higher pitch and at times you can really feel the strain in the singer’s voice which is something I personally love. Vultures is a great opening track as it is filled with energy and gives a great example of what to expect from the rest of the EP. Mary begins with some 8bit music before the track starts proper. Continuing the high energy sound we first heard in the opener, this is a frantic song that has me thinking of Canadian pop punk heroes PUP. This is certainly the kind of track that will get a crowd going crazy in the pit. Mary is a love song dedicated to someone who comes into your life during a difficult time and makes it better. Without a doubt one of my favourite songs of the year.

The third song is named Ego. It starts out with an atmospheric sound and some drums before being joined by the guitar. This opening is such a big contrast to the opening two songs and shows a different side of Sophisticated Dingo. For the most part, the track goes along at a slower pace but there are moments when the song threatens to explode. Even the moments when the tempo is upped, it feels as if the band are using a lot more restraint. The penultimate track is titled Don’t Wanna Be and it starts with a jangly, raw sound that I like a lot. It gives the song an extra layer of emotion that really grabs your attention. The song is about feeling as if you’re being judged for your choices in life, in particular chasing your dreams no matter how unlikely they seem. The melody in the song is wonderful and really gets stuck in your head. It’s quite a wordy song but still manages to be packed with little ear worms meaning that you’ll be singing along to the song in no time at all. How’s The Carry On!? is finished with What Is Going On? Showcasing the band’s indie influences, the track could easily fit on all of your favourite indie playlists as well as some featuring punk bangers. As it’s a final song it does have a big ending that builds and captivates in equal measure before ending with a quiet fade out.

Sophisticated Dingo are definitely a band you should know if you enjoy your indie punk. Many bands from Australia have found success in the UK over the past few years and I really wouldn’t be surprised if Sophisticated Dingo were one of the next to do so.

Stream and download How's The Carry On!? on Bandcamp here.

Like Sophisticated Dingo on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Revistor by Debunker

Debunker are melodic gruff punk band from Texas. In October the three piece released their second EPm Revisitor. I was familiar with the band after checking out their self-titled debut in 2018 and was keen to hear how the band have progressed over the past couple of years.

Revisitor begins with Over It. The track starts in a powerful fashion with a big drum roll that screams that Debunker are here and mean business. The guitars come in and really set the tempo with some buzzing riffs before finally the vocals join in. Debunker expertly mix melody and gruffness in a way that will really get you shouting along with the band. The track is about a friendship that has gone sour due to being used as a stepping stone to get ahead and asking will things ever go back to how they were. Up next is Streetlights where Debunker really focuses on the melodic side of their sound rather than going for the high tempo style. The guitars feel quieter but compliment the vocals brilliantly, buzzing away in the background of those magnificent vocals. I really enjoyed the subtle harmonies that are sprinkled throughout the song, adding a superb extra layer. The track finishes with a thunderous sing-along of the lines “don’t stop for anything” that will surely get a crowd participating in the song.

The third song is titled Full Circle. There’s a lot going on in this track that is surprisingly less than two minutes long. I feel like it will be the type of song that you will be able to listen to many times and consistently hear new things. Despite there being a lot going on, Full Circle never feels too busy or clustered so a lot of credit has to go to the band for accomplishing this. The song features a shift in melody towards the end where the band seemingly all comes together for the big finish. The penultimate song is titled A Bogus Adventure. Debunker recently released a video for this song which can be found here. The track is about trying to find your way in life, things not going as well as you thought they might and the stress that it puts you under. The tempo of the song is perfect; it fills me with energy from start to finish. Revisitor finishes with Camellia. This song is a bit of a departure from the previous four songs on the EP. The vocals don’t feel as in your face as they did previously. This really helped me zone in on the lyrics of the song. It didn’t give me the energy that the other songs have but it certainly moved me more. It’s a sad song that I believe is a tribute to an old friend who has passed away. It’s a sad way to finish the EP but it leaves a lasting impression.

If you’re into the gruff punk sound then you really should be checking out Debunker for quality songs that sound like they would be amazing live.

Stream and download Revistor on Bandcamp here.

Like Debunker on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Skeleton Coast by The Lawrence Arms (by Marcus Pond)

I first became aware of The Lawrence Arms after buying the 2002 Warped Tour sampler. It was a double disc affair and a great memento of my first and only Warped Tour experience, but I’ll admit that there wasn’t much about the song “Navigating the Windward Passage” that stuck out to me, other than that the singer’s voice (Brendan Kelly) seemed too raspy and grating for me to really enjoy. I didn’t skip it every time, though, but I mostly forgot about them outside of that tune, and didn’t really give them another listen until they released Oh! Calcutta! in 2006.

At the time, I was enrolled in a Christian university that I didn’t like, in a small town that I left as often as I could, and was struggling to endure the seemingly year-long winter weather that few southern California kids would’ve put up with. It was in this condition that Oh! Calcutta! (hailed by many as the Arms’ best work to date) wormed its way into my ears and my heart, and I worked backwards into their catalogue, also falling in love with Apathy and Exhaustion. The self-loathing and melancholy mixed with punk rock anger, delivered by different and at times dueling vocalists really resonated with me.

Since 2006, the band had released just one other record (2014’s Metropole, their first release on Epitaph) and what was essentially a “greatest hits” compilation (2018’s We Are The Champions of the World), so it wouldn’t have been a stretch to assume that the days of putting out new music under The Lawrence Arms banner had passed. But with Skeleton Coast, the boys from Chicago show that, even with all three members being in their 40s, they’ve still got it.

The singles leading up to Skeleton Coast were “Last Last Words” and “PTA” (which stands for Planes Trains and Automobiles), and are great samplers of what TLA offers. On “Last Last Words”, Chris McCaughan croons mournfully as soothing power chords soar. His lyrics, usually a bit more wistfully poetic than Kelly’s, paint the bittersweet finality of the impression that’s left behind when we leave this world; “Hang me in the halls of obscurity / Behind the velvet ropes / In a distant gallery”.

“PTA”, on the other hand, is a song fronted by Kelly, and opens up with pounding drums and a raucous verbal assault. Like “Last Last Words”, it centers on death, but is approached uh, differently, more nihilistic (“Don’t worry baby it’s nigh / The end of our time / The brush on your thigh / The feeling of toiling and loving / Only to watch it all die”) and carnal (“Dusty and lonesome and craving a glance / That starts in your heart then shoots into your pants”).

McCaughan and Kelly are the yin and yang of The Lawrence Arms, balancing each other out, both in vocal delivery and lyricism. It’s that balance that keeps this and most of their records fresh to my ears, as the songs seem perfectly sequenced to keep your attention from start to finish. Never too romantic, depressing, or angry, they find the sweet spot and lead the journey.

Kelly described the record on the “Road To The Skeleton Coast” podcast (which began earlier in the year and detailed much of Kelly’s discography with The Lawrence Arms, as well as other bands, leading up to and including Skeleton Coast) as a type of concept album about an outpost at the end of the world. Recorded in El Paso, Texas, which is on the edge of the country and essentially on the edge of nowhere, it has a bit of a post-apocalyptic vibe to it – as if releasing music during a global pandemic needed to be even more ominous.

Some of my internet music buddies seemed quick to point out that they prefer the “Chris” songs (I have a soft spot for Four One Five Two, the debut LP from McCaughan’s solo vehicle by the name of Sundowner), but something about most of the “Brendan” songs just really appeal to me this time around. “Pigeons and Spies” is probably my favorite song (and will probably end up on my own personal “best of TLA” playlist on Spotify), and has some of the best lyrics. On it, Kelly spits out a handful of oddly specific metaphors involving dinosaurs and pigeons, before proclaiming “I’m tired / And you’re tired too / I want to make big changes but I’m not in the mood”. When they get to the bridge, it’s as triumphant as the Arms are on the record, and it’s about drinking before 9:00.

“Dead Man’s Coat”, “Ghostwriter”, and “Under Paris” (all Chris songs) are also highlights on the record, which clocks in at 35 minutes. Only one of the 14 tracks goes past the three minute mark, so buckle up – the tracks are as unrelenting as the year it was released.

RIYL: anything that Brendan Kelly has done, the Red Scare Industries catalogue, LaGrecia, and Arby’s.

Stream and download Skeleton Coast on Bandcamp.

Like The Lawrence Arms on Facebook.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.