Anchors Aweigh＜Green Vinyl＞

Though they hit as hard as ever, the Bouncing Souls broaden their impact on Anchors Aweigh. Some of these tracks hide an almost reflective perspective behind Michael McDermott's vicious, in-the-pocket drumming and the rest of the band's searing riffs: "Simple Man," a marathon at just over four minutes, yearns for a more orderly life, "Night Train" runs with that thought onto the endless highway of possibilities, complete with a Steppenwolf-like motorcycle sample, and "Todd's Song" even flashes a few strings while roaring into and exiting an ear-bleed rumination on suicide. Musically, the guys are tight; McDermott in particular earns his stripes as a punk virtuoso in the artful tempo manipulations of "Apartment 5F" and the rhythmically intricate "Blind Date." Note: The last track, "I'm from There," actually clocks in at about four minutes and 46 seconds, after which there's maybe a minute and a half of crackling noise before an acoustic hidden track crawls out of the shadows, hangs around for a while, and then melts back into more crackling. Go figure. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk

生きることに不器用で、自分のことを音楽で表現することしかできない。しかし、それが大合唱を生み、人々にエネルギーを与える……。ハードだけどポップ、ピュアでロマンティスト。噛むほどに味が出るサウンド。イーストコーストの頼れる兄貴たちは、今日もギネスを片手に愛をパンク・ロックに乗せて唄う。魂を弾けさせたきゃ彼らでキマリ!!　bounceを読んで、バウンシング・ソウルズを聴く……なんて素敵な流れなんだ!!
bounce (C)田中 拓宏