Grabass Charlestion's follow-up to 'The Greatest Story Ever Hula'd'
Grabass Charlestons are ANOTHER band to rise from those famous Floridian swamps to create ANOTHER great No Idea release. 'Ask Mark Twain' is the second full-length from the three piece and is possibly their best to date.
The band includes PJ Fancier playing guitar, Dave Drobach playing bass and Will Thomas who writes most of the songs sings and plays drums! The Charlestons got together circa 2000 when Drobach and Thomas both former members of the Lexingstons decided to put Thomas's songs into practise and called PJ Fancher to fill for bass duties. The band's first release was a sweaty split with friends; the Billy Reese Peters which also contained members from the Grabass Chalestons. The bands debut album 'The Greatest Story Ever Hula'd', which was released on No Idea in 2003, was a storming success with underground country/punk fans across the world. After tours with Against Me! Dillinger Four, Less Than Jake and the Tim Version. The band are back with 'Ask Mark Twain' which will be impressing both old and new fans.
The band's latest release begins with the title track 'Ask Mark Twain' which has all the pop hooks of a Green Day song, a voice that sounds similar to fellow Gainesville vocalist Chuck Reagan and the ethics of an 'Against Me!' song. Following track is 'Atlanta Is a Cocaine Town' which I have previously heard played on an acoustic guitar on a compilation. Acoustically this song is great, full electric it's amazing! The lyrics are very entertaining and although the song's a little short, it's certainly the best song of the CD. The open lines of the song give a good idea of how funny the CD is;
'As soon as you set foot in this dirty town, you can feel the sickening sin. A bunch of drunken degenerates with bloated faces, I see I'm gonna fit right in.' The footnotes provide further entertainment for those who want to know what each song's about.
There are a couple of songs on the album that are a little weak, 'The Fucking Song' being one I seem to skip every time it's on. I think it's sometimes quite hard to totally digest the way the band indulge in country-punk and be able to fully enjoy it. I would believe 'What A Country' is another favourite of mine on this record. Providing sarcasm and the irony of capitalism and corruption in a country such as ours.
This record has quite surprised me, I wasn't expecting something I would genuinely like but being on No Idea, I should have thought twice. Although this is a record made of fillers and killers rather than a strong record, I would say this would be for me one of the best records to come out this summer.