The Blowouts consist of Mark Ainsworth (guitar), David Phelps (guitar), Geoff Guthier (bass), Barry Branigan (drums) and Joey Placek (vocals). They recently released Drink It or Wear It which is a five-song EP that harks back to a time when rock n’ roll was fun and people were a little more loose. The mid ’80s came to mind. There is a sense of danger but not too much danger in a way that bands like Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses and Van Halen would embrace. I think music has in part lost that and it's not a good thing. Their music celebrates decadence, life and a good drink.
The music is great but I was also intrigued by the lyrics which weren’t as straightforward as I would have imagined. In fact I would say some of the lines are downright poetic. Take for instance the robust rocker “Saving Grace.” Placek sings ,“Throw out what’s left in the fire / Looking for support to feed your desires / The truths are lies and the wrongs are right / Pulling at the branches to avoid the blight / And I can’t separate.” I loved the energy of the song and was completely on board from the get go. “Dead Underwater” is a little more straightforward and I think was more or less about one epic night of partying and possibly spending a little more money then you have. With no ballad in sight the band continues with “DRR” which was the first song that felt clearly punk. There were some anthemic Dropkick Murphy-esque type harmonies that got me going. The band continues to crush with “Borderline” but it was “Electric Wire” that displayed yet another side of the band which not only embraces some elements of post-rock but continues to topple every crescendo they bring to the table with something more intense. These guys are pure rock n’ roll and I love it. They are the kind of band you hope to see on Friday if you want to let loose and get some adrenaline pumping. Recommended.
2 Comments
Dave
6/25/2018 10:40:25 pm
David Phelps. Rhythm and lead guitar
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6/30/2018 11:26:47 pm
Thank you for the review Matt!
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