Swingin’ Utters – Peace and Love

California punk rockers Swingin’ Utters have been a staple in the scene for over thirty years.  With a career that includes plenty of ups and downs, including a seven year hiatus back in 2003, the band’s longevity is no accident, but rather evidence of an undying passion for the music they once helped pioneer.  Remaining original members Johnny “Peebucks” Bonnel and Darius Koski have carved a unique corner of the scene for the Utters over the years, making the band’s gritty flavour of angular meets catchy pop-punk what it is today.  

For their ninth full length, Peace and Love, Swingin’ Utters carry on with what they do best, while providing a subtle ambition that comes with years of fine tuning.  Opening number, “Undertaker, Undertake,” treads familiar ground, with a big distorted bass groove that thumps and thuds like a raging bull.  Bonnel’s vocals are as gruff and forceful as ever, feeling thick and domineering. The band’s traditional essence feels somewhere between Dillinger Four and Off With Their Heads, as this track serves as an easy reminder.  Tracks like “Louise and Her Spider” and “Dubstep” represent different sides of the same coin when it comes to tempo.  Other examples like “Sleeping” boast a slow, lurching, asymmetry to its pacing, whereas those like “E.C.T.” plays to a classic Ramones-style tempo with the repetition of the line, “I don’t want to go to E.C.T.” (electroconvulsive therapy).  

But if Peace & Love has any defining features, it’s that it isn’t afraid to get a little mellow in melody.  For instance, while Koski is at the lead, “Sirens” has an appreciable mid-tempo flow that just sort of rolls forth from the speakers, cushioning the hard realities of lines like, “All they ever said was to steer clear of sirens, The beauty in their song will bring pain and poison, All passion, no compassion.”  Koski’s further takes lead vocals on “Seeds of Satisfaction,” which according to the press release he affectionately refers to as “surf-goth song.” It’s unique amongst the track listing for all the reasons that the descriptor suggests, feeling mysterious and dark, although much lighter than The Lillingtons’ recent foray into the occult.  The rare acoustic opening of “H.L.S.” is also of particular note, especially considering that it marks the first and only instance on the album of Jack Dalrymple on lead vocals.  It’s a unique gem amidst the band’s output, and a quietly confident closer to the album that should garner appreciation for entirely different reasons than the rest of the disc.

Overall, Peace and Love is a diverse and faithful continuation to Swingin’ Utters’ living legacy.  Each songwriter and vocalist contributes meaningfully to the sum total, making Peace and Love a remarkably well paced experience.  It’s been a long road for Swingin’ Utters over the years, but there’s never been any shortage of interesting landmarks along the way. Peace and Love is yet another exciting instalment that should keep fans once again making the return trip.