Smalltown – The Music

(Deranged/Snuffy Smile, 2004)

http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden

Review by Class Warrior

This is the co-winner of the “best punk album of the new century” as determined by me. To see the other entry, look for the No Hope for the Kids review from a couple of weeks ago.

Smalltown is a three-piece punk band from Sweden. To the best of my knowledge, they formed in the late nineties and have been playing together ever since. The band has released numerous seven-inch records, two full-length albums, and a bunch of split EPs with various bands. They, like No Hope for the Kids reviewed earlier, had a song on the disastrous “Public Safety” comp that MRR Records put out in 2006. (Seriously, this comp ruined the reputation of millennial punk and hardcore for me. Only a few bands emerged unscathed.) “The Music” is Smalltown’s first full-length album.

I loved this record the moment I heard the first note of the first song. It is exactly the type of punk rock that I love the most. They have a big late 70s influence that they exhibit proudly. Think Stiff Little Fingers, The Strike (without the heavy left politics [unfortunately]), The Jam (and the rest of the mod revival/power pop scene from the late 70s/early 80s), and the Ramones. Smalltown doesn’t imitate, though; they play with charisma and passion that makes the music transcend its influences. The songs are filled up with memorable melodies and tons of great big guitar and vocal hooks. The guitarist alternates between open chords and power chords with deftness. It all hangs on the frame that the bass and drums create. The bass work is solid and precise and doesn’t just follow the guitar. The drummer is not afraid to bang the cymbals (a big plus!) and pop in a bunch of awesome fills when needed. Most of the twelve songs are mid-tempo, but a couple of them crank up the speed a few notches. We’re not talking Negative Approach (or Reign in Blood for you metal junkies), but fast enough to get the blood pumping pretty hard. Excellent, excellent songs. This is the kind of music that I would like to make if I were in a band now. If only I could write a decent song….

The best songs are “What’s Going On?” and “Warning.” While there are no mediocre songs on the disc, these two turn up the intensity a notch. The former song is, in essence, about rocking harder than whatever crap is on the radio: “Alright, everything is set to ten / we’re here to make a mark that stands the test of time.” Yes! Most of the lyrics to the other songs are introspective without being cliché or cheesy. “Warning” is the exception; it’s a strong anti-war and anti-power song.

I managed to see these fellows in Portland during their 2005 West Coast tour. SoDak and Mrs. Warrior were kind enough to accompany me. Smalltown put on a hell of a show, even though the venue (the IWW Hall, if I remember correctly) was less than ideal. I stationed myself in front of Kalle L, the guitarist/singer. I knew all the words to the songs, so I sang right along with him. It was a great show – easily one of the top five I’ve attended in my life. We found that the band members were nice as hell as we chatted with them after they played. Bought two t-shirts that night. They barely fit then, which means I have no hope of wearing them anymore – I’ve increased a couple of sizes and am starting to get man-boobs. Oh, the depredations of old age and sloth!

Their early seven inch records are great as well – perhaps better than the songs on their first full-length. Especially check out “Years, Months” – that’s the best song they’ve ever done. (Don’t worry, vinylphobe: they collected all these singles onto a CD called “The First Three Years.” However, it may or may not still be in print.) You’ll be pleased to know that Smalltown is still alive. In fact, they just released their second album last year. It’s not as strong as “The Music,” but it certainly has its moments of glory. Give it a listen.

“The Music” is a fantastic album. I recommend it highly, particularly if you have a weakness for melodic punk rock. If there were any justice in the world, this would be playing on the radio instead of whatever is on there now. I give it 9.5 out of 10 punk points. (Or, if you prefer the taint scale, I self-abused for 9.5 minutes.) At this point, the careful reader will note that I gave co-winner No Hope for the Kids an 8.5. It doesn’t look like a tie. You are correct; it’s not. After listening to Smalltown again, I had to choice but to break the tie and award them the sole award for best album of the decade. I simply forgot how killer this album is! Kalle L, Lobo, and Kalle T, you made music that stands the test of time.

Other albums from the 2000s that are really good: Jay Reatard – Blood Visions, The Vicious – Alienated, and anything by Direct Control (the best of the early 80s imitators). It’s a pretty short list, I realize, but there wasn’t much for me to get excited about. Having said that, I would like to mention that there are a huge number of punk bands still out there playing their hearts out. They deserve recognition and support. I don’t want to make it sound like I think there are no good bands anymore, or that punk is dead. As long as punks play punk rock, it survives, and, in some places, thrives.