Duck & Cover – “Stuck In Decline”
There is a sound, that I consider, the sound of Boston. And it’s not the sound of Aerosmith or The J. Geils Band and certainly not that band Boston, who were really from Cape Cod and sucked anyways.
It’s closer to The Del Fuegos, The Turbines, The Titanics and countless other lost and forgotten bands- that played their music like the screeches of the trains on the Green Line, like the horns blaring out on Boylston Street and Comm Ave. Like the sounds of the city streets, the confusion, overcrowding and grime, emanating from the lives of the participants of city life.
It’s the pulse of the city, of too many people in too little space. Where most of the dreams are squashed with only a few living at the top of the high rises while other’s dreams die in the gutter along with, sometimes the ones who dream them.
‘Cause it’s the city and it’s hard and tough with only the strong surviving.
And Boston punk rock’n’roll is one of the survivors. And though it didn’t reach the heights of the skyscrapers, it lives on in the minds and hearts of many young musicians and fans. Because not only is it true, real and great music- it is also tough, resilient and strong.
Which is a very roundabout way of saying, that this is what you get with Duck & Cover. The heart of Boston punk’n’roll beats in this band. This is garage, punk and rock’n’roll done extremely well and is a potent, passionate mix to master.
But I strongly suggest you stop listening to me and listen to them right now:
“Yeah, Don’t You” comes sprinting out like some long, lost Cheap Trick tune with some Replacement like grit/glitter sprayed upon it. The guitars growl and the rhythm section rocks with a poised intensity. The vocals are doubled and sometimes with harmony and the drums pound a tom-tom beat along with a thundering bass. “Got it all figured out, don’t you?” I don’t know my ass from my elbow but even I can hear the energy, emotion and excitement bouncing from these tracks and I like it.
“Touch And Go” starts with guitar chords descending recklessly and rhythms going haywire. But it all comes together, eventually, in a rockin’ beat with high ringing guitar notes and expressive vocals. The chorus is close to metal and there’s some arpeggiated notes going along in the bridge- but this is pure, power pop/punk with grit and edge and passion and even though “there’s no way out” you kind of wish to never leave this great song anyways.
With a jangle-y guitar lick and solid drum beat straight out of a Replacements classic, “Wasted” descends upon our ears. This song punches with rockin’ rhythms, a slashing guitar and vocals that have passion, desire and longing. “Time waits for no one but here’s hoping/ You keep on laughing but I ain’t joking.” A great bridge, an exuberant chorus. “Now we’re wasted… Now, I’m wasted all the time.” But you won’t waste a moment by listening to this well-crafted, emotionally committed great tune. I could make a joke about it being my favorite state of being but “Wasted” is- my favorite song on the album.
“Out Alive” comes crashing out of the gates with four chords churning and all cylinders blasting. And then a verse with a slightly, sparse guitar bursts into a chorus with three chords bashing. “Anything you wanna do/ Anything you want me to/ Everything gets out alive.” This song rips and rocks along like a cruising joyride on a summer night looking for action and danger. This song has dual guitar harmonics, a part which only has a bass drum beat backing up the vocals, and a heart full of passion, guts and emotion that causes me to pick this as the hit song of the album.
Duck & Cover, surprisingly, use a quote by me on their facebook page; along with other more qualified, more coherent scribes.
“This band is chock full of all that’s true and real and good in music and hell, maybe in life.” And I believe that still.
But I also feel, when listening to them, the sweat of musicians under the lights on stage at The Rat. I feel beer stained, smokey corridors leading onto an experience, that is both the most harrowing and most exhilarating one of your life.
I feel the gamble of a million dreams, like rolling dice in the million gutters and alleys of the city- where the prize is millions and the loss is not only of your dreams but sometimes your life.
I feel I haven’t talked much about Duck & Cover. Seems the singer Danny’s missing, the great drummer Scotty is gone, too. But what’s not missing is the music that I feel reflects the words I’ve just written about them. It’s gutsy, passionate, wild rock’n’roll. You don’t have to read between the lines to get this, just listen to the sounds of their music.
Or listen to the subway screeches, the crowds of people, the beeping horns of the city streets of Boston.
That sound is right here.
(Slimedog)
