BOB RATS – Rudi, Don’t Turn Out Like Mother
Genre: Ska, Punk
Similar artists: The Interrupters, The Specials, The Clash, Rancid, Toots and The Maytals, Westbound Train
It usually takes American rockstars a few too many albums, tours, and years of being involved in The Biz before they announce that they are turning back to their roots. This can only mean one of two things. Either they are making a country album and hoping to crack the Nashville charts. Or, they are making a blues and soul record and looking to convince the geriatric department with their smooth playing and singing.
While few people are anxious about these kinds of explorations, their cousins on the other side of the pond don’t quite have their musical basics built on the same foundations. England has its own version of soul music, punk easily blends into ska and reggae, and even a bit of ragtime.
Bob Rats’ old-time ska kitchen-sink drama of Rudi, Don’t Turn Out Like Mother is what English musicians must sound like when they get back to their roots. The song even includes a cheeky nod to The Specials, one of the punk-ska hybrids to get British kids wishing that they were part of a band. Bob Rats’ tune is fun and even clever in places. Unlike its American brethren, British songs about society include no threats about flying over to inflict some democracy on international listeners. Instead, there’s something royally out of fashion about this that makes it a winner.
Truth Value – Ingrained
Similar artists: Pinegrove, Weezer, Front Bottoms
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Alternative Rock
There used to be this show on television where these well-dressed, rich people would make up slogans for ads. Never bothered watching an entire episode, but as far as I can gather, their enviable status was all due to being inspired, once in a while, to come up with a catchphrase good enough to make millions of people want to smoke, drink, or vote.
What an enviable life those folks must have had, the show’s public must have thought. And indeed, music listeners think the same thing about rock stars. After all, they deal with similar variables and rewards. Technically, all they really have to do is find the ideal three chords and catchphrases before being launched into a world of unimaginable success.
Truth Value’s Ingrained sounds like the tune that found the golden ratio of sounds and clever lines, not by trying but by refusing to try too hard. It’s a song built on an excellent guitar tone, smart, bittersweet lyrics, and a hook that you could get your dog to whistle. Will this put them in a position where they’ll have to walk around with big sticks to get fans to live them alone? It might, which would only serve to upset the kids that spend their teenage years learning scales on their guitar. And that’s reason enough to hope that the fantasy all comes true.
