The Real Deal – Hungover, But Dead Sober

CDs like Hungover, But Dead Sober are the worst type of CDs for reviewers because it’s so hard to describe. That’s not saying it’s a bad CD, in fact, it’s the opposite. If it was a CD that I disliked I would be able to un-mercilessly rip into it and list all the reasons why I hate it so. However, Hungover, But Dead Sober doesn’t deserve to be ripped into based simply on the fact that it’s actually good. What makes it so hard to review is that while I’m able to listen to the album and thoroughly enjoy it front and back, there’s no real reason as to why.

The Real Deal never go above and beyond to create something spectacular but instead give us a confortingly familiar album that is raw, distorted and full of youthful enthusiasm. Crunchy guitars fill the tracks while a vibrant drum beat leads the rhythm section. Add in some beautiful upstroke moments and a tingly ska sensation starts to build in the record. The vocals are slightly worn, fast and venomous. It brings up visions of The Flatliners‘ great debut, Destroy To Create, see Bushido’s Way. There’s also some Johnstones similarities and even, for those punk rock purists at heart, some Osker moments too. As they pass the later half of the record, The Real Deal starts leaning heavily on a early Less Than Jake sound, particularly in the vocal department as the singer starts sounding like a young Chris Demakes on tracks like Heritage and Not A Song About Me.

Lyrically, the band once again falls into the spectrum of being good but nothing outstanding. The songs are youthful anthems of love (Dream Girl), punk rock teachers (Ivan Says – Ivan says play punk rock. Play it fast and play it hard“), parties (Buy Me Booze), and tales of disillusionment about violence (Bombs Away!) and the state of the music industry (What Happened?!? Fuck!?!). The highlight of the album, closely followed by the aforementioned Ivan Says, is the punk rock anthem Freedom Of Speech which proudly says I’ll skate where I want, do what I want and be what I want and defiantly yells “as long as I’ve got my freedom of Speech, you’ll get a kick in the face.”

Hungover, But Dead Sober is a good, old fashioned, punk rock record. It won’t end in any year end lists and it won’t change punk in anyway but punk isn’t always about change. Sometimes it’s about just having a little youthful, rebellious fun and The Real Deal is full of that. Nothing exception but thoroughly entertaining nonetheless, The Real Deal are a band that I would love to see in a small venue like Avenue Skatepark and Hungover, But Dead Sober is an album that will get a fair amount of play.