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The Grabass Charlestons have got to be one of the most overlooked bands in punk rock today. Then again, doesn't it seem like all the great bands are overlooked? Your average scenester might have heard the name Dillinger Four but he owns everything on the Drive-Thru catalog. Anyways, the Grabass Charlestons are a great band and don't get the credit they deserve. Hopefully things change with their recent release, Ask Mark Twain. Until then, I guess I'll just have to write about why everyone should go out and buy The Greatest Story Ever Hula'd

The album starts out with a song called "Beer Exile," which may sound kind of juvenile but actually has some of the most relatable lyrics I've heard in awhile: "Caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thought what would dear old mama think," "I lost my bowels and I got the itch, I got a needle that's pointed at my vein. Tell my friends to keep the dream alive cause after this I'm going into hiding," and "It seems we've fucked up high and low. We've got the world crammed up our nose, we got chowder toes. It's been months with no repose" are just some of the lyrical gems this opening number has to offer. Team that with the simplistic pop-punk intro and bridge, the rollicking speed, and the gruff, energized vocals and it's almost too good.

But the fun doesn't stop there as the Charlestons have another 12 songs just waiting to be unleashed. Almost every track on this album is a keeper. A few of them aren't anything to write home about, but then again, I wonder if that's only because most of them are so good that these few seem less only by comparison. Surprisingly, the track that I skip over the most (and it's almost every time) isn't even one of their songs. It's a Tom Waits cover. Covers are sometimes, sadly, the best tracks a band has to offer, which really only proves how little many bands do have to offer. Anyways, the Grabass Charlestons' cover of "Cold, Cold Ground" just doesn't do it for me. But like I said, this album has a total of 13 tracks, which means one throwaway doesn't sting so bad.

Back to the good though. This band has mastered pop-punk. They do it fast, they do it rough, and they do it without all the whiny bullshit that so many pop-"punk" bands are all too comfortable embracing. But then again, this is only second nature to these boys. I highly doubt it was a conscious decision to put out a record like this. They wouldn't know how to go about making a "polished" pop-punk album.

Some might complain that these guys sound like every other band out of Gainesville because of their raspy, gravelly vocals and their music that could be said to fit that same description, but they'd be wrong. No other band out of Gainesville or anywhere in Florida has yet to release an album that stays this fast, upbeat, and solid from start to finish. The Grabass Charlestons are one of the last bands out there, in my eyes, that are still doing pop-punk, or even punk rock, right. Here's to more to come.

Oh, and if you check this out and enjoy it, be sure to look into Billy Reese Peters as well. Two of the three guys in this band play in it and it shows. It's along the same lines as GaC but with a little bit of a Southern twinge. Definitely good stuff as well.



People who liked this also liked:
Dillinger Four - Midwestern Songs of the AmericasThe Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!Leftover Crack - Fuck World TradeAgainst Me! - Searching For A Former ClarityGreen Day - DookiePropagandhi - Less Talk, More RockGreen Day - InsomniacPropagandhi - Today's Empires, Tomorrow's AshesDillinger Four - Versus GodCrimpshrine - Duct Tape Soup



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    Posted by coffinfullofnails on 2006-06-30 14:09:56
    My Score:

    great band, very fun live, love the album.

    Posted by SilentStorms on 2005-09-02 11:27:58

    yikes, i just listened to the mp3 - no thanks.

    Posted by wehavecomeforyourchildren on 2005-08-31 20:28:46

    peejfancher,

    i hope you liked the review. i'm still waiting on my mail-ordered copy of "ask mark twain," but if "fucking song" is any indication, i know i'll be stoked on it.

    Posted by takingchase on 2005-08-31 00:53:18

    no idea puts out so many good records. This is a great cd but I like their new one better.

    Posted by peejfancher on 2005-08-28 23:17:08

    ewehavecomeforyourchildren
    you're a bit wrong. PJ and Will are in Billy Reese... have been for some time been on some recodings too. If you've ever seen BRP outside of Florida Will and peej were there.
    The new BRP album just got finished. When will it come out.. who knows?

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 7:34 PM (EDT)

    This is one of my favorite albums of all time. The split with BRP is great, and the new LP Ask Mark Twain is great, but this is the best.

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2005-08-28 17:37:37

    Ask Mark Twain is better, but they're both great.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 2:31 PM (EDT)

    Singing drummer: Sweet. Hillbilly bassist who gyrates around weirdly on stage: Even better.

    Cool band live. I've yet to hear their recordings, but I'll look into it now.

    Posted by wehavecomeforyourchildren on 2005-08-28 12:35:16

    i have to correct myself, i don't remember where i got the information about 2 of the GaC boys playing in BRP but it's not true. Will from GaC does a few drum tracks for BRP but he's not in the band. my bad.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 8:29 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I love this album, I ordered the new one from no idea 2 weeks ago and it still has not been sent out. Thats No Idea for you. Thanks for this review, I really wondered if I was the only one that thought this thing was seemingly the most overlooked album that No Idea has put out in recent memory.

    -TenderBransonX (at work can't log in)

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 8:21 AM (EDT)

    fuck yeah No Idea, totally amazing label, always bringing the goods.This is a good album!. Where's The Review for "Ask Mark Twain" which is also a excellent album title.

    Posted by ramo on 2005-08-28 06:49:11
    My Score:

    Great album. An excellent follow-up to the their split with Billy Reese.

    "Beer Exile" is not only the best song on this album but also one of my drinking anthems. A great band live so check them out whenever.

    And yes, even I agree that "Ask Mark Twain" is better but not by much.

    Ramo
    (Will Thomas makes me happy)

    Posted by Crookedsuperhero on 2005-08-28 06:36:17

    Fuck yeah, great album.

    Still, Billy Reese Peters are better. Anyone know what's up with their album?

    Posted by AlmostPunkEnough on 2005-08-28 05:22:46
    My Score:

    "yeah, i have yet to get ask mark twain, has anyone picked it up? anyone?"

    i got it, it's sweet. i definitley think it's better than this, but not by much, i'd give it an 8/8.5 as well, but it's definitley stronger and has more standout tracks.

    -finally there's a review for this. it was getting to the point where i was gonna write it myself, and nobody wants that to happen... i still may have to do "Ask Mark Twain".

    these guys are gainesville elite, and that's say a whole fucking lot.

    does anyone else think 'Young' is the best song on this album? or is that just my crazy taste?

    Posted by dazed on 2005-08-28 04:06:33
    My Score:

    They put on a pretty great show (when not toooo drunk) and I enjoy this album a lot when I'm in the right mood.

    I haven't checked out their new album yet, though.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 3:50 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Hell fucking yeah. Note: every song by every Gainesville band is secretly about cocaine

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 2:30 AM (EDT)

    yeah, i have yet to get ask mark twain, has anyone picked it up? anyone? you also forgot to leave out the amazing fact that the DRUMMER DOES ALL VOCALS. it's pretty incredible live.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 12:13 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Good band, good review. Still, their new one is the one to get.

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