Avail: One Wrench
2000
Fat Wreck Chords
Format I Own it On: Compact Disc
Track Listing: 1. Fast One 2. Taken 3.N30 4. Leveled 5. New Song 6. High Lonesome 7. Invisible 8. Union 9. Heron 10. Rest 11.C. Days 12. Bell 13.Leather 14. Old Dominion
This is the fifth album by Richmond Virginia's punk rock band Avail. I never quite got into this one as much as the others, but I can see how someone who is more into the harder/faster side of the band could really dig this.
They certainly kick a lot of ass here, and the energy levels are through the roof! The tempos blast with hardcore speed, but they still remember to make a few stops for some melody every now and again. It is a bracing listen and I do always enjoy it when I put it on, but it seems like they don't quite have the awesome hooks they so prominently displayed on their previous albums. Which is fair, because I don't think that's what they were aiming for this time around. I think it was more of a "we're not going soft," move after the poppier material on "Over the James.. .But I liked the poppier material...I did catch one of their shows right after this record dropped and these high-impact songs certainly were a big hit in the pit...So...
That said, there is one song on here that's among their best..."High Lonesome" is a perfect example of what makes Avail so great. Loud, mid-tempo, a shout-along vocal melody...It's all here. Man, I love this....I might have to play that one again... (press rewind)
Avail has only released one album since "One Wrench," but I haven't heard it yet. In all my travels to the Record Store, I've never run across "Back Porch Stories."...Hell, I wasn't even really aware of its existence until a couple years ago...But if I locate a copy someday maybe I'll check it out and let you know what I think...
Let's recount the important events that occurred in 2000 (the year of "One Wrench's" release):
The 2000 Presidential election results show George W Bush winning over Al Gore, the results are delayed due to extremely close results and allegations of voter fraud...I demand a recount!
Defective tires cause almost 100 deaths... What?! 100 deaths!? The CEO of Firestone demands a recount!
Santana and Rob Thomas win "Record of the Year" for their record "Smooth." Wait...what? The Record of the Year had Rob Thomas on it?! I demand a recount! Alright...Enough recounting...Let's check out Avail's"High Lonesome..." Enjoy...
Man Jamin its been forever since I heard this and when I saw it I had to listen to it right away! Man I forgot how awesome Taken and Union were. I haven't heard Back Porch Stories either and I am not a fan at all of Tim Barry's solo stuff.
ReplyDeleteI actually ran across a copy of one of Tim Barry's solo records and I was tempted to pick it up but I'll skip it if you're saying it's no good...I was wondering what it was...I wasn't sure if it was punk like Avail...I'm happy you checked out "One Wrench" again...When I listened to it again to write the blog it had been awhile since I'd listened to it too...then I kept replaying it that whole week...
ReplyDelete