ALBUM REVIEW: Shanty Punk – Skinny Lister
Whenever SKINNY LISTER announces a new album, everyone knows it’s going to be a great experience. Back in July the Xtra Mile troupe announced their latest album Shanty Punk and have since teased us over the last few months with a handful of singles. These particular tracks (Down On The Barrier, Company Of The Bar and Mantra) embodied everything we’ve come to know and love about SKINNY LISTER from their debut album to the present day. Filled with enormous choruses and a great bounce to each one, they’ll surely become solid additions to the band’s already impressive discography.
Their previous release A Matter Of Life & Love saw the band embracing a newer MADNESS/ska style sound that we hadn’t heard them use before to great effect. This time however, Shanty Punk sees them returning to familiar territory, still bold as brass with a barnstorming effort. It’s a record that guarantees any listener an absolutely great time and will win over new fans in the process. One of the greatest aspects of SKINNY LISTER is their infectious and joyous style of music. You can’t help but like them and each album fills you with warmth and welcomes you in as if they’ve been friends with you for years. The experience of listening to Shanty Punk has the feeling of being sat in a pub with friends with great music being played. All the songs from start to finish are great drinking tunes that will have you up and dancing about within seconds of them starting, bellowing along to every anthemic line.
The record itself is an abundance of hits. Opener Haul & Bale works as a pleasing appetiser with its shanty-esque style slowly building up through the use of accordions and delightful melodies before launching into the album proper. Up next is the raucous Unto The Breach, which does what SKINNY LISTER do best. Getting you into the spirit straight away with a fast and punky attitude that wouldn’t feel amiss on an album by the likes of FLOGGING MOLLY or THE POGUES, from this song alone it’s easy to spot the influences on this record.
Further into the record we come across Arm Wrestling In Dresden, which focuses more on the folk side of things than other songs on the album. A very jovial track, it follows lead singer Dan Heptinstall’s escapades on a drunken night which feels like it’s based on a true story. It’s a tale of facing the consequences of your own actions after a drink (maybe we’ve all been there) but ultimately always taking a shot at the right things in life. One of the biggest sounding tracks is the wonderful Pittsburgh Punch Up; this time the vocal duties fall to co-front woman Lorna who channels her inner Debbie Harry/Courtney Love in what feels like a call to arms, with her rallying the troops – or crowd – with a fun fast-paced tune that will have you punching your fist in the air, unable to keep still.
For those familiar with SKINNY LISTER’s live shows, you’ll be used to seeing ‘Party George’ (Lorna and Max’s dad) take to the stage to sing one of his own songs. This song is the incredibly entertaining ditty William Harker, and it has now finally been put to tape and offers a wonderfully lighthearted moment toward the end of the record.
Ultimately, Shanty Punk is everything you want from a SKINNY LISTER record. It has heart and is barrels of fun. There isn’t a moment wasted and none of the members miss a beat throughout in a dizzying display of instrumentation ensures that the band are still at the very top of their game and are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. It’s going to be one hell of a show when we get to see these songs live on their upcoming tour. We’ll be there with our dancing shoes and flagons ready!
Rating: 8/10
Shanty Punk is out now via Xtra Mile Recordings.
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