Former Fay Wray frontman Rob Coe returns to the microphone for the first time in a quite a few years with Sweet Fuck All, the debut EP from his new band The Enablers. The country-tinged, punk-inspired rock and roll band delivers a solid 6 songs on this release.

Strangely enough, the Enablers are also ex-Dashboard Confessional. Dan Bonebrake, former low-end wielder for the platinum-selling acoustic group, mans the four-string for the Enablers now. It's unusual to think of this band as ex-Dashboard, but whatever makes the kids buy it, right?

Coe's vocals, oft compared to Mike Ness, keep that quality alive while taking on a Bruce Springsteen-esque quality to them. Comparisons to Frankie Stubbs of Leatherface wouldn't be too far off, especially in opening song "Tomorrow." His raspy baritone carries the trio as they play a mixture of straightforward punk and country-rock. The songs can definitely rock, but many wouldn't be out of place stripped down to an acoustic and played in a dingy living room [see "Better Friend"]. "Dear Beer" sounds like a long lost Replacements b-side, or maybe Husker Du slowed way down.

There's good stuff on this EP, but in the end it's not incredibly gripping. It does let me imagine, though, that the Enablers are one heck of a good time live. Until I can find that out, I'll have Sweet Fuck All to keep me company.

MP3s
Tomorrow
Apologize [acoustic]