9th and Walnut
The descendents
Epitaph
Save the best til last we are told. This is one parable the Descendents seem to have ignored in their latest record, 9th and Walnut. Of that we will return.
This new record from the band isn’t really a new record. The songs are from an early incarnation of the band and were all written in the first four years of their existence.
The band have reconvened with their original line up and have decided that 18 tracks which weren’t deemed good enough to be on their initial records should face the listening public now. And why not?
Their sound was genre defining at the time. The perfect bridge between Ramones, new wave and hardcore. The Descendents were a band that spoke to people for their ordinary lifestyle. It wasn’t rock and roll, it wasn’t hedonistic. It was just good tunes played fast by good people.
So why would it be any different 40 years later? Well maybe some of the lyrics are closer to teenage than pension age but that’s ok, no age-ism is acceptable. Men in their 50s can split from their partners too and sing about it.
It’s the end that really gets me though. This is a band that have inspired so many, a band that have brought smiles to so many at their gigs and they deem it ok to finish off their record with a cover. That’s allowed, it’s is their record after all. But Glad all from the Dave Clarke 5? Really. I struggle to leave the needle on the record and am Glad it’s over when the final chord is played. Again a shame it finished on this as that is the long lasting memory. Grab an earlier record and go see the band live. You will be smiling then
niallhope
