|
|
|
Casey Jones
The Few, The Proud, The Crucial
Indianola Records
Rating: 8.0/10
Reviewer: Andrew
Reviewed: 2/6/2004
|
|
And Florida breeds another exceptional hardcore band. This time around, it is Casey Jones, a band that has probably garnered much attention just by featuring current and former members of Evergreen Terrace. Or maybe the attention stems from the name Casey Jones -- after all, he was one badass character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons and movies. In any case, "The Few, The Proud, The Crucial" does not parallel the music of Evergreen Terrace, and instead sticks primarily to modern, straightedge hardcore with a bit of melody and some metallic influences. With a suitably thick production quality and endless sing-alongs, this album is hard to not enjoy.
Casey Jones writes a lot of songs about straightedge. The band covers all of the aspects, from selling out to pledging for life, which will probably turn a number of listeners off before even hearing the music. But if one thing keeps Casey Jones' lyrics from becoming too militant, it's their consistent sense of humor and sarcasm. For instance, the album cover is decorated with skeletons of Confederate soldiers wearing gloves with big Xs on them (the press release states this isn't about Southern pride or what the South stood for, but a rendition of their "straightedge confederacy"). Songs have titles like "If You're Smoking In Here You Better Be On Fire" and "You Were Never A Fan Of The Dry Hump." Obviously, not everything is very serious. Casey Jones might be committed to straightedge, and fairly vulgar in making that clear, but some of the lyrics should be taken with a grain of salt.
Luckily, not every song is a straightedge anthem. "Pigs Is Pigs," which is quite possibly the best song on the album, deals more with overcoming obstacles and an underlying theme of change. Even musically, the song is more dramatic and serious. As fun as the other songs are, this is Casey Jones at their highest.
"The Few, The Proud, The Crucial" is comprised of twelve concise songs, most of which never reach the two-minute mark. Casey Jones doesn't beat around the bush, and instead goes straight for the throat from the album's opening song to the very end (excluding the hidden rap). The band's sound is firmly planted in traditional hardcore, but Casey Jones modernizes the sound with the addition of double bass-fueled, mosh-worthy breakdowns, melodic and metallic guitar riffs, and a clean production quality. Everything is energetic, from frontman Josh's screams to the rapid-fire drumming, making "The Few, The Proud, The Crucial" something that one can easily become immersed in. The music isn't anything new, but it's effective and highly consistent.
"The Few, The Proud, The Crucial" is undoubtedly a strong record, but when the hardcore scene is blessed with recent records from Comeback Kid, With Honor and Modern Life Is War, Casey Jones is eclipsed by their peers. But in my mind, one can never listen to too much hardcore, and for that reason, this band deserves a listen. Casey Jones offers a swell blend of sing-alongs, chunky breakdowns, straightforward hardcore and humor. Be sure to check this out.
|
|
|
