For me it’s been a love/love relationship with Dirtbag Republic since I first heard them and that continues with record number three. ‘Main Objective’ is a wonderful opener with lyrics about growing old and still being completely in love with Rock and Roll. I can’t imagine it any other way nor it seems could main men Sandy Hazard and Mick Wood who underline it with “As long as I’m alive, rock n roll will never die.” It’s an interesting thought isn’t it – to us all Rock and Roll seems eternal and yet we’ve only had it for 50 years before it’s started to wane, but if the keep making ’em like this let’s face it we’re in good hands.
If you love the sounds of real Rock and Roll you will love this – think Hanoi Rocks, Dogs D’Amour, The Heartbreakers, or even any of the best of the new crop of Euro-Sleazesters like Hardcore Superstar and co – the kind of unadorned, unvarnished Rock and Roll that cuts to the core, that sinks its teeth in and won’t ever let you go.
‘Skinny’ is what it’s all about, all rough edges, angles and despite the unusual subject matter it’s both danceable and ‘head-bangable’ and has a solo that is guilty of time travel. The mid-tempo ‘Wannabes’ that follows has far more of a glorious Hanoi Rocks feel about it and for me lyrically and musically this is why I love these guys so much. A step deeper in ‘Days Are Gone’ builds a cool dirty groove; and ‘Don’t Answer to No One’ adds a bar room sing-along that is part Stones and part midnight in the pub from days of old when things were still fun.
‘Tear Down Your Idols’ itself has a nice Punk sheen and poses a real question – have the heroes of yesteryear all taken the foot off the pedal because they’re not charting anymore, leading to complacency and the scene going down the gurgler. The other side of the coin of course would be to suggest that no one is good enough to replace the greats of yesteryear. ‘Sorry’ adds a Hanoi does Pop vibe that is simply wonderful, and the slightly slower ‘Did All I Could’ hits the spot though without quite satiating the thirst.
‘Superficial’ is another cast iron winner that’s dirtier, punkier and full of attitude, and penultimate track ‘When I Was Young’ is equally cool – reminding me a little of my hometown’s Teenage Casket Company – it’s a great song and another that seems to look back at the good old days with real love and affection. It’s maybe the perfect storm of nostalgia, living with covid and the long slow death of rock and roll?
We close with the wonderful riff of ‘Turn Back Fast’ the song that calls bullshit on the proposition that Rock is dead or even slightly unwell! Now if the world could just stop this bullshit and get back to that thing we did in the 70’s and 80’s – enjoying life this would be a worthy soundtrack. One of the best of the year amongst some very stiff competition.
9/10