I looked at a bunch of "Best of 2009" punk lists over the past month or so. Nowhere did I see this release and that is a pity! I saw lists chocked full of Strike Anywhere, Polar Bear Club and The Swellers. Each of which is absolutely deserving! This release also truly merits the recognition as one of the best punk albums of 2009.I never heard much Tsunami Bomb when they were around, but after hearing this release it makes me want to revisit all of Jay Nothington's work. From the first chord, "Roads, Bridges and Ruins" had me completely fixated. Maybe it's the similarity between Jay's voice and that of Leatherface front man Frankie Stubbs. It's no secret, I love Leatherface and think their "Mush" release is a true punk classic! The vocal style of Jay is gruff, strained, yet beautiful. Much like Leatherface, Nothington is working mans punk. It's stripped down, low tech and completely passionate. "A Mistake" is an excellent opener and it takes about 20 seconds for the listener to figure out that this band knows exactly who they are. It's truly an immediately memorable track. "Another Day" is another standout. Kind of Social Distortion-esque, it's mid-paced, up tempo punk rock.
My favorite track on the entire release is "Not Looking Down", it reminds me of some early Lawrence Arms. It's a melodic punk track and one that showcases the bands ability to craft a most complete song. There are no clunkers on this release, each track is solid, with good supporting background vocals and a variety of punk paces.
After having finished the album, I immediately thought back to the first time I heard "24 Hour Revenge Therapy" by Jawbreaker. That was a raw, rough and emotion-laden album from beginning to end. I feel the same description works for Nothington, some 16 years later! There is just a vibe and feel to Bay Area punk rock, both then and now. The band has just embarked on a tour of both North America and Europe. In this era of punk, touring has never been more important to a bands ability to distinguish themselves from the rest of the din. I wish them nothing but success in that effort.
