The Ramshackle Army-Highflyer EP review. Celtic punk magnificence.
FFO: Dropkick Murphys, Melodic Punk and pints of Guinness.
The Ramshackle Army perfectly combine Celtic Punk with all the catchiness of the best melodic punk. They are killer live, anthemic as hell and a guaranteed great time, every time. They always put out strong releases with no filler and this latest EP is a cracker.
The title track opens proceedings with a memorable riff to draw you in immediately and by the 30-second mark, you realise this will be a live classic. And that is the secret to this band, well-written songs that go for both the heart and feet at the same time. And that is their amazing skill you remember the track and want to move your feet with each track. I also dig how no song is overly long and works its magic in its allocated time. Bend Don't Break is reminiscent of peak-era Living End, but with the trad music trimmings of course. As stated previously, this band are intelligent and very skilled songwriters. The hooks in this track (and let's be honest 99% of their catalogue) are clever as hell and instant earworms. Rise and Fall is not only the theme song of the COVID-19 lockdowns worldwide, but an anthem for the general struggles of life be it personal or otherwise.
Also, I appreciate quality lyrics and this band apply the same effort as say Bad Religion and that's rare as hell. Let's also highlight as anyone who has seen this act live can attest to, the musicianship is top tier and this band play off each other so well. And each element be it the solid rhythm section, the trad instruments, robust vocals and ripping guitar work; all work as one and function as a powerhouse. There is also a charming balance of melody, aggression and punk rawness. The last two tracks of this impressive EP are absolute ragers. The Also Rans is a splendid journey of a track that has a massive dynamic that makes you wanna scream the lyrics and shout your mate's drinks until the bar closes. Add to that perceptive lyrics that have a positive tone and help you push on through your day regardless of the challenge. So this band is catchy, inspiring, quick-witted and entertaining as hell. Old Weapons is a tremendous way to close a release, less than 2 mins of rowdy, whiskey-soaked punk rock that personifies everything we adore about this genre.
All we ask is that this band release a full album sooner, not later!. Slainte!
Highflyer is out now and is their debut release for Riot Records:
https://smarturl.it/TRA-Highflyer-EP?mc_cid=c01b70c743
Antisocial:
https://www.facebook.com/theramshacklearmy
And catch this band live whenever you can!!.
Comments
Post a Comment