Booze & Glory – As Bold As Brass

In today’s over saturated market, singles often got lost in the mix. The idea of listening to the radio when I can curate my own playlist is laughable. Much Music no longer plays music and while YouTube and SoundCloud offer great alternatives, the constant flooding of “premiers” every day begins to lose their impact after a while.

Booze & Glory’s Only Fools Get Caught pushed through the noise and, somehow, came out on the other side on top. A surprisingly rousing Oi! anthem, Only Fools Get Caught did what a single was meant to do: pulled me in and intrigued me and luckily, the album it came promoting – As Bold As Brass – lived up the expectations set forth by the single.

As Bold As Brass comes storming out of the gate and right away delivers a strong – you could even say sturdy – punch with Off We Go. You immediately get the idea of what the album will sound like: tough, full, street-punk anthems.

While Oi! is no stranger to the music world, there’s been very few bands delivering new material in the genre worthy of note lately. Weak, repetitive, or generic – Booze & Glory eschews all of these descriptions and, despite the rather mundane band name, sing songs of unity, friends and growth. These are working class anthems, songs about respecting the community not songs about drinking every night.

 The aforementioned single Only Fools Get Caught praises the idea of growing up, challenging ideas and breaking the mould while I Hope You Still Remember reflects on the past with pride. Leave The Kids Alone barrels through with a striking guitar riff and defends the youth of today against false prosecution – a similar theme of unity seeps through We’ll Stick Together and most of the album.

Not since The Briggs have I heard an Oi! band that really stays in your mind.  In fact, the acoustic bonus song Always On The Wrong Side could easily fit in the tail end of Come All Your Madmen without a second look.

 It’s Dropkick Murphys without the Celtic flare, a modern day Sham 69 all with a production quality that pushes the envelop even further. The album pulses with a strong back beat. A sturdy, full soundscape built off solid melodies that don’t rely on flourishes of technical prowess but passion and familiarity. And while they may have one so-called frontman, what makes Booze & Glory standout is the backing harmonies. It’s rare that Mark sings alone and is instead backed up by a wall of gang vocals, layered perfectly, making it all the more easier and inviting to sing along.

So strap on your suspenders, grab a pint of beer and a fistful of friends and sing along as loud as you’d like. This is Oi! the way it was meant to be played.