The Fullers – Kingdom by the Sea

Up and coming New Jersey punk rock act The Fullers have become a popular live staple in a relatively short period of time.  Having built a reputation on their lively stage presence and political mindedness, the band tries their hand at channeling their energy for the studio in their debut full length, Kingdom by the Sea.  Composed of eleven high energy tracks, The Fullers put their best foot forward in translating their DIY sound for a broader audience.  The clear passion for their craft make for an album that is strong willed and spirited.

Kingdom by the Sea is largely its own beast, but between the loose vocal style and unpredictable tempos, fans of Cobra Skulls and lesser known horror punkers The Epidemic will find plenty of similarities therein.  Born of scratchy frayed vocals and a vicious drumbeat, opener “Tomorrow” sets an unhinged tone that highlights The Fullers’ knack for riding the rails as recklessly as possible without jumping the tracks.  “Haymarket” pushes these limits perhaps even further in complicating the vocals by closing out passages with somewhat of a retro 50’s waiver on the tail end of each line’s final word.  Combined with somewhat of a boot stomping tempo built against images of black flags and “woah-oh-oh” choruses, the song is made just that much more interesting.  That fast and furious tempo maintains itself across various other songs, like “1000 Horses” and “The Devil is My DJ.” For instance, the former embraces its feverish pace while offering balance through moments of consolidation in minor segments of minimalist guitars.

The Fullers further define themselves as a political minded force, funnelling their frustration into damning commentary of a polarizing system.  For instance, in “Change in the Wind” the band isn’t afraid to point fingers at republicans and democrats alike in lines like “change is blowing in the wind, but someone forgot to tell the politicians.”  Other songs like the extremely catchy “By the Grace of God” challenges citizens to “take the country back,” employing a backdrop of alienation to describe the experience of well intending immigrants chasing the American dream.

My only hesitancy or hint of reserve with Kingdom by the Sea resides in the album production.  I’m not quite sure of what to make of the band’s decision to go for a scrappy DIY style, but in considering substance, it’s not unlike that of many of the bands that serve as The Fullers’ early influence.  The tracks are well composed and mixed, but resemble albums on Epitaph from the early 90’s before they received the remastering treatment.  This shouldn’t be a sticking point, but will likely take a song or two to adjust to considering what the industry has made us accustomed to.

Overall, The Fullers have released a fine example of scrappy, fast-paced punk rock with attitude.  Kingdom by the Sea is an easy and insightful listen that will appeal to most punk rock preferences.  The band’s reputation for live energetic performances translates well for their first full length, and bodes well for future endeavours.