The Lawrence Arms
Buttsweat and Tears
Fat Wreck Chords
9/10
FUCK. YES. The first bit of new tunes since Oh! Calcutta back in ’06 and it doesn’t disappoint. Brendan Kelly and Chris McCaughan trade vocal duties fairly fifty-fifty, while Neil Hennessey blasts away on the drums. It’s crazy to see this band, going as hard and fast as they have, still maintaining their level of intensity ten years after their inception. I’m starting to believe that they are being pushed by the sheer will of their rabid fans. Opening with Kelly’s signature rasp, the EP kicks into high gear and stays there, with McCaughan even keeping pace when his jams are known to be a bit softer. The closer, “The Redness in The West” is the perfect example of the balance that The Lawrence Arms have had between kick-you-in-the-gut punk riffs and legitimate songwriting. While the download has five tracks, the physical is missing “Demons,” which can be found (for free!) on FatWreck.com. Keep it up, boys.
-Jonathan Yost