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Release Date: May 24, 2013
Run Time: 56:56
Buy: Amazon
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1. On the Shores of Lochaber
2. The Great Escape
3. Dublin in the Rare Old Times
4. The Punk Rock Show
5. Today
6. Just Another Night On the Floor
7. The Dawning of the Day
8. Understand
9. Don’t Ask, I’ll Tell You
10. Billy Taylor
11. Down At the Pub
12. I’m a Rover
13. Operation Crossroads
14. Between the Lines Tortilla Flat
15. Get On Up & Go
16. A Man’s a Man for A’that
17. Hector the Hero
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The title track,The Great Escape, opens with a palm-muted guitar and bagpipes. The drums are very consistent yet are very electronic-sounding. The story line was easy to follow and the background vocals added lots of depth. The lead vocals were more spoken than sung, but the song’s story line overshadowed this facet.
The Dawning of the Day followed with a soft, welcoming introduction of lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and bagpipes (sans percussion). A bass guitar and drums join shortly thereafter, and the bagpipe parts are sustained, staying on the same note for much of the verses and only changing slightly as the song progressed. This up-tempo tune featured lots of energy in the second half of the track, a stark contrast to the song’s opening. This was the shortest of the bunch, and there was not too much attention given to melodies in either of these two tracks. There was not much lead guitar play either, as much of the instrumentation was focused on doubling or emphasizing the rhythm guitar.
Understand contains a number of punk elements, and the rhythm guitar and drums work well together. The verse vocals are interesting and hold the attention of the listener, and the chorus ties in well to the song’s title. The group vocals are used in the pre choruses and the choruses to strengthen the impact of each line. This track was my personal favorite with the impressive story line and song structuring that was well done.
Don’t Ask I’ll Tell You opened again with bagpipes and electric guitar. The instrumentation is fairly basic, showcasing the band’s punk-inspired tendencies and simplistic approach. The song features memorable lyrics and an excellent break in the drums and other instrumentation to emphasize the chorus. While each of the tracks contained certain punk elements, this was the most reminiscent of punk and pop punk genres.
Get On Up and Go opened with a nice running bass and a different feel from the others. This was more rock sounding than the other songs I heard with a bit of a country vibe. The band surely showcased their versatility with this one (genre-wise) yet still remained normal in many of their chord progressions.
The lyrics throughout the album are written well, and the vocals certainly add a unique texture to the overall equation. The album overall contained an electronic yet raw, garage band sound to it. Each of the songs featured story lines that were easy to follow. The songs are largely rhythm-focused rather than relying on lead lines or riffs.