Thursday, July 2, 2009
Reviews New Armed Forces Single: It Doesn't Suck?
Posted by Seth Graves on Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 7:08 AM
Whether you love or hate Nashville's The Armed Forces (meaning you probably hate them), perhaps you can at least appreciate their tenacity. Despite increasingly poor results in Nashville popularity polls, this rag-tag crew of hipster misfits doesn't have "quit" in its vocabulary. They continue to play out and tour at every opportunity where the empty rooms and progressively crueler criticisms only seem to push them harder. And of course you remember last year's Next Big Nashville debacle.
Honestly, it seems the only thing that's been keeping the band from assuming a lovable underdog image in our eyes, is, unfortunately, better music. The Armed Forces have always worn a who's-who list of seminal punk and soul influences on their sleeves, but ones that didn't quite translate into audio gold on their debut EP Modern Gospel for Modern Men and Women. Well, whether or not you want to believe it, the band may have actually managed to cough up that missing ingredient with their newest effort. And no, I'm not shitting you. Read on.
Their new single "Savages (Back Out on the Streets)" is the first of a dozen the band intends to release on a monthly basis between now and July 2010 where, following this trend of previously untrendy marketing strategies, the band will release all 12 on a full length titled The Rest Is Noise. Most importantly, the track itself only first touched my ears this morning, but I can already tell it doesn't plan to leave at any point during my shift at the office today-- be that a good or bad thing.
Sporting a few layers of crunchy guitar riffs, a melody reminiscent of The Cars, and a gang chorus that calls to mind The Boomtown Rats, this thing is loaded with just the kind of hooks necessary to earn my respect. Singer/songwriter/local-hipster-boy-wonder Brandon Jazz has not only learned to carry a tune, but has obviously been on a heavy diet of slick, anthemic '80s rock. And that may have been exactly what his physician (in this case producer/engineer/Mean Tambourine Ryan Truso) prescribed to cure this band from the dreaded "shit sandwich".
The Armed Forces play an official launch party this Saturday, July 4 at 12th and Porter. In the meantime, you can scope out the track yourself here on their MySpace.
Comments (29)
Showing 1-29 of 29
like
dislike
Having played with Mean Tambourines a few times lately, I can say that this actually kinda sounds a bit like something MT would play. Especially the ending. Pretty obv that Truso produced, but that's not a bad thing. These guys made a 150% improvement.
It really is a slow week for news over at the cream if this shit passes for blog-worthy.
Tsk.
It is absolutely, positively, MOST DEFINITELY NOT FREE and we are not giving you people a daaaamn thing. You can purchase a fan club membership at our shows or online store (coming soon)... and then get the download of the month for no additional charge.
If you're not smart enough to figure out how to get free music on your own, you deserve to pay. Were definitely not giving you a handout.
Give us all your money or go fly a kite.
(CREAM: please correct this information kthx)
bj/afmf/fy
Why would you wait a year to release an album you already have finished RIGHT NOW?
God, give it a rest already.
If I wanted to hear Mean Tambourines, I'd listen to Mean Tambourines.
Last year they wanted to be the pink spiders, this year they wanna be Ryan truso.
Never gonna be anybody.
if the Armed Forces continue to generate this level of local Nashville loathing, its fair to say that they can look forward to KOL levels of success.
i actually really liked it. i have to say that i didn't love the earlier stuff. i don't have to go into detail the harsh press has said more then enough, but the fact that they still boldy try again, with lyrics screaming confidence, and an unhesitating spunk, they have won me over. so what, he got a voice coach. isn't that suppose to be a good thing?
the armed forces have voices sweeter than honey and hearts softer than marshmallows. they are dreamboats. buy their album.
I tried to listen to this song, but I lost interest about thirty seconds in. However, Brandon is always very nice when he takes my order at Fido's.
I tried to listen to this song too, but decided i would be happier with my preconceived notions about some band I've never seen or heard before instead.
It's good and you like it.
Come to the show Saturday night and tell us about it!
Is that J Decious from the Pink Spiders? What's up man? When are you going to schedule that fight with matt friction? I bet you could take him dude, my moneyz on you man!
at "I think is fun"- Oh I don't take them seriously in the least. I have met a couple members and I can say with complete confidence that they warrant douche pimples. quite large ones at that.
Vote here for best Band of the Week
Slideshows
Top Commenters
