Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Only Punk Band I'm Not Ashamed To Love

When I got into The Lawrence Arms, I figured it was just a phase. I thought to myself, "I used to be so into punk rock, this is just the closest I can get to those old days." Turns out that I still love them just as much as I did. Though I guess I owe them a little more of an explanation than that.

Alternating vocal duties, Brandon Kelly employs a harsh, gritty shout that is complemented beautifully by Chris McCaughan's melodic, tuneful voice. The music ranges from punk rock to nearly prog-like moments of clarity where the music has an atmospheric feel that builds up beautifully to the next passage.

The lyrics, as a whole, are intelligent; witty wordplay and cultural references that span from Shakespeare to Insane Clown Posse's fans (Juggalos) span across the whole album.

So yes, while The Lawrence Arms are the only punk band that I'm not ashamed to love, it doesn't mean they're any less deserving of attention than any other band. They're as intelligent as any indie band, while remaining the urgency and speed of punk rock. Plus, look out for recurring images; the whole album plays out like a book.

Genres: Punk
Link: mediafire.com(slash)download.php?mtmatbjkmmq

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