Swingin' Utters

Swingin' Utters: Here, Under ProtestHere, Under Protest (2011)
Fat Wreck Chords

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: MN_DrNickMN_DrNick
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on May 13th 2011Finally. After seven years since their last album, the Swingin' Utters have a new full-length album out. What have they been up to since? Well, they've done a few shows here and there; they went on to do awesome side project bands like Filthy Thieving Bastards, the Re-Volts, and Druglords of the Ave.

Finally. After seven years since their last album, the Swingin' Utters have a new full-length album out. What have they been up to since? Well, they've done a few shows here and there; they went on to do awesome side project bands like Filthy Thieving Bastards, the Re-Volts, and Druglords of the Avenues; and they got Jack Dalrymple of One Man Army and Dead to Me fame to join their band. And now they finally gave us this: Here, Under Protest.

Now, this is quite the different album from most of their albums before this. This time around, it felt as though the main writting force behind the band (Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski) went for more of the sound that you would find in Filthy Thieving Bastards. For those that haven't listened to Filthy Thieving Bastards, the sound is very country, folk, and rock inspired, and more melodic. And that's what a majority of this album feels like. And it's not a bad thing.

The band has slowed down a bit with this one, except for on "(You've Got To) Give It All to the Man", but it still is something you'd expect from them. If anything, it feels like this could have been more of a followup to their self titled album, which was released back in 2000. On this one, Koski loses the growl on the songs he does lead vocals on. And guess who finally gets to sing on this album? That's right. Jack Dalrymple! Great to hear his voice again, even it's the final track on the album.

When I first listened to the album, I almost thought the best tracks were the ones that they released on the two 7"s before this. The songs are "Brand New Lungs", "Lepers, Thieves and Whores", "Taking the Long Way", and "Effortless Amnesiac". But after a few listens, I was wrong. If you love the Utters, especially when they have that country/folk influence in their songs, this album is for you. The wait was totally worth it.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

hugochavez (January 28, 2012)

excellent

forfuksake (December 7, 2011)

This record has to make the list this year. Its so fuckin good

blood-guts-punkrock (August 19, 2011)

This band STILL havent released a bad record

Claro (July 8, 2011)

Solid review over yonder: "Instead of reinventing the wheel after two-plus decades in action, Johnny Bonnel and company are embracing their role as one of the few remaining torchbearers of contemporary, unfiltered punk rock. Nothing more, nothing less." http://www.theinertia.com/music-art/review-here-under-protest-by- swingin-utters/

Sliced-T (June 22, 2011)

They are the finest wine of the 90s Fat Wreck bands.

kylewagoner (June 18, 2011)

Kick It Over is so damn good! Love the Re-Volts!

trickbateman (May 18, 2011)

i fucking love this record. They can do no wrong.

Perdition (May 17, 2011)

Gotta say, I was hoping for something a little more diverse like my favorite rec of theirs Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass and Bones, but this is still an awesome record... the Utters can't do much wrong in my eyes. Hope to hell we don't have to wait so long for the next one, thanx for keeping good music alive!

Sliced-T (May 16, 2011)

What's the deal with Fat only selling 300 special edition LPs? Are they going to press some plain jane copies for us regular music collector folks? Someone should let them know that I'm not paying for a download or a CD.

paulrulzdood (May 16, 2011)

probably thier most succint and easily digestible album to date. pretty straight-forward and fun. nothing to prove, just some good songs. not a ton of experimentation or variety like some of thier previous albums, just right to the point and you get it on the first spin.

not their best work, but nice enough and just great to hear something/anything out of them after such a long gap between albums, and nice that what they gave us isn't bloated or over-the-top, just like "oh yea, we haven't had an album in a long time. here's some new tunes for ya".

paul

PassionOnPlastic (May 16, 2011)

Caught both 7" record over the last 6 months which were teasers for this, enjoyed it all. I just ordered this up, looking forward to hearing it.

http://passiononplastic.com | vinyl blog

mikexdude (May 15, 2011)

Love, love this record.

RedScare (May 15, 2011)

Really love this record too. I wanted to write a review for this thing, but got too busy at work. It's always a blessing to get new music from the Utters.

pito (May 15, 2011)

Amazing record! And the review could have been better... it should have been at least 4 1/2, and the Filthy Thieving Bastards things just does not make sense. While you could spot that on a bit on s/t and DFBBB, this last one is much more Jam/Undertones/Stiff Little Fingers tone that it wasn't there in their previous album. Even though it sounds just like an amazing Swingin Utters piece. For me, it's the record of the year so far.

telegraphrocks (May 15, 2011)

This album is just oh so fucking good.... goddamn... love it.

palpitations101 (May 15, 2011)

Hmm....

County...alt...punk. It almost makes...

Nope. Lost it.

Whew. I need a nap.

Problematiclogic (May 14, 2011)

"Man... how can you guys not hear any Filthy Thieving Bastards sound on this?"

Nobody is saying it isn't there, it just isn't as pronounced as you made it out to be, especially taking into account the last 2 SU records.

thepopeofchili-town (May 14, 2011)

Good to hear Jack's voice again. They should let him sing more often... and then fire the rest of the band, hire Chicken, Ian and Nathan, and... you see where I'm going with this.

MN_DrNick (May 13, 2011)

Man... how can you guys not hear any Filthy Thieving Bastards sound on this? (Damn it... been sucked into defending my review).

Also, this album has become a huge grower on me. More than likely will be on my Top Ten list at the end of the year.

balze76 (May 13, 2011)

Great record, really impressed. I really don't think it sounds much like FTB, more like earlier utters. My favorite of the year so far.

punkyopunk (May 13, 2011)

"This time around, it felt as though the main writting force behind the band (Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski) went for more of the sound that you would find in Filthy Thieving Bastards."

If anything, this record has a Re-Volts sound since Darius composed "Kick It Over" and "Effortless Amnesiac" for them before quitting (leaving?! being kicked out?) the band. I do suspect "Time On My Own" to be of their songs too.
However, "Ben Collector" of 1,000 Limbs" does has that Filthy' feeling (no need to debate on "Sacry Brittle Frame").

"It feels like this could have been more of a followup to their self titled album, which was released back in 2000."

Brazen Head EP, S/T and this one would've been a logical run. It makes you wonder where does Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass and Bones came from....

"I disagree with any comparison of this album to Filthy Thieving Bastards. The last 2 SU albums were a LOT more similar"

Same opposition here!
Especially the last one...even if the punk songs were faster than ever.

This review is disappointing & generic. I have 8 years and a half (not 7 years as mentionned since "Live in a Dive" is not really an album. in fact, it's a wreckord) of long awaiting reasons to reclaim a more rigouros analysis of how good that album is.

lagger82 (May 13, 2011)

egg_face you should dump your gf lol

forfuksake (May 13, 2011)

This is a great record. Best of the year for me.

levi-dolphin (May 13, 2011)

Great album!!! would have been 5 stars if Jack sang 2 more songs. but impressed i am!!!

palpitations101 (May 13, 2011)

Now, THIS is quite the different album from most of their albums before THIS. THIS time around.

This. THIS! THISS!!!!!!!!!

dangerdangerdanger (May 13, 2011)

Solid album, no stand out songs in my opinion but not any bad songs either. I love the production, the guitars sound fantastic.

unibowler (May 13, 2011)

"Kick It Over" was originally on the Re-Volt's EP.

MuhammadMormon (May 13, 2011)

Also, I disagree with any comparison of this album to Filthy Thieving Bastards. The last 2 SU albums were a LOT more similar.

This ain't country/punk (whatever), it's just a beautiful punk rock 'n roll record.

MuhammadMormon (May 13, 2011)

This record is fucking great... album of the year so far. Odds are, nothing else will come close.

Problematiclogic (May 13, 2011)

Aw c'mon, cheer up!

This album is just some plain, well played punk that is catchy as heck. Can't say I agree that it sounds more like FTB, I thought the last two records were actually more diverse and had more slower/ acoustic/ folks songs like them. Except 'Scary Brittle Frame'.

Anyway, give this a listen, it rules.

BluthCo (May 13, 2011)

I could have gone for a little more punk influence on this album, but I still like it a lot.

xbat-mitex (May 13, 2011)

This has been one of my favorite bands since I first saw them in 92 opening for Rancid @ the Berkeley Square. They played in their pajamas and I thought it was amazing, ahhh High School! new record is definitely One of my top ten of the year! They still put on a damn awesome live show

eatdogs (May 13, 2011)

awesome. i like that cover pic as well...

mowlio (May 13, 2011)

It's a good album but can be a little dull at times, more upbeat songs like Give it to the man would make this album great. I prefer 5 Lessons Learned... (The only utters album i've really gotten into)

oldpunkerforever (May 13, 2011)

forgot my rating, one of my favs of the year so far-oldpunker-

jacknife737 (May 13, 2011)

This album is surprisingly good: Kick it Over is just so catchy.

oldpunkerforever (May 13, 2011)

I Love this, Lepers, thieves and whores is brilliant-oldpunker-

indecay (May 13, 2011)

I like this a lot. Good stuff from SU.

egg_face (May 13, 2011)

i love it...girlfriend hates it

darbystrummer77 (May 13, 2011)

i love this album. favorite track is "Kick it Over"