Album Reviews: Flatfoot 56 'Odd Boat'
Purchase: MP3
It’s been over 15 years since brothers Tobin Bawinkel, Justin Bawinkel and Kyle Bawinkel formed Flatfoot 56 as a punk trio rising from the post-90’s streetpunk scene. Their Celtic sound later brought about by Josh Robieson (bagpipes, guitar, mandolin) helped propel the band forward. If you’re an avid follower of WWE, then you may have already heard “I Told You So” (Johnny Curtis’s theme song) and “Written In My Face (Sheamus’s theme song). The Chicago Celtic-punk group is now going on their ninth studio album Odd Boat, which consists of 12 catchy tracks and positively driven lyrics.The band’s evolved sound pulls from a slew of streetpunk, hardcore and traditional Celtic influences. Tobin unleashes a blast of powerful guitar riffs embellished with Eric McMahon’s bagpipes and Brandon Good’s mandolin. Tobin’s blood curdling vocals growl in harmony with fist-pumping anthems and Heartland-ish melodies on “Ty Cobb,” “Stutter” and “Curtains.” While Flatfoot 56’s songwriting sounds matured, they haven’t lost touch with their hardcore roots. The band unleashes the angst on “The Trap” with upbeat rhythms, abrasive vocals and a brief hardcore breakdown. Similarly, “Penny” shares some common ground. Indie singer Il Neige cuts in with buoyant vocals, creating a surreal balance to Tobin’s raspy growl.
ch_client = "dprice80"; ch_width = 450; ch_height = 90; ch_type = "mpu"; ch_sid = "Chitika Default"; ch_color_site_link = "#164675"; ch_backfill = 1;ch_color_title = "#164675"; ch_color_border = "#B0C9EB"; ch_color_text = "#333333"; ch_color_bg = "#FFFFFF";
Flatfoot 56 isn’t afraid to show their lighthearted side. The band shares a knack for traditional Irish folk that can often be heard with a twangy pluck of the mandolin on title track “Odd Boat.” But the band strips away the distorted guitars and gruff vocals on the ballad-driven “KPM” and closing track “A Voice.” Over the years, Flatfoot 56’s songwriting has become more accessible and in many ways that can be a good thing. As a fan of classic streetpunk, I would gravitate towards earlier releases like 2006’s Knuckles Up. But if you’re into the infusion of melodic punk and anthemic rock n’ roll, Odd Boat is a gem of our time.
Stream “Penny” below:
ch_client = "dprice80"; ch_width = 450; ch_height = 90; ch_type = "mpu"; ch_sid = "Chitika Default"; ch_color_site_link = "#164675"; ch_backfill = 1;ch_color_title = "#164675"; ch_color_border = "#B0C9EB"; ch_color_text = "#333333"; ch_color_bg = "#FFFFFF";
Album Reviews: Flatfoot 56 ‘Odd Boat’ was originally published on Sound Renaissance
