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Chewing on Tinfoil

Get Rich or Try Dyin' (2009)
Navidson

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Contributed by: Brian
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Published on September 4th 2009

Forgive one for generalizing, but a lot of the American ska-punk acts sprouting up in the last few years seem kinda cheesy and forced. Few of them are blessed with even decent songwriters and they're not doing any real boost to the style. Chewing on Tinfoil only reinforces this idea, being Un-American and all (birth-wise, not parody-wise), and being occasionally stellar.

This Dublin act don't actually have any horn players -- the only elements they have outside of the usual guitar, bass and drums are double bassist / "mouth organ[ist]" Stu and keyboardist Westy. But there's plenty of upstrokes and nimble rhythms that make them not only a fit in the ska-punk landscape, but a talented one at that. Their lead vocalist even sounds quite a bit like Tomas Kalnoky.

Chewing on Tinfoil have a knack for writing melodic, slightly scrappy, amble ska-punk cuts. There's some great dual vocal interplay on opener "Breso," probably Get Rich or Try Dyin''s best. The band doesn't quite match the magic captured in that song, but they do a good job trying. The title track has some pep, while "Piece Together" has some moments of repetition/catchiness just short of being truly special. "Littlefoot" has a wonderful restraint and atmosphere about it for the first minute sang by their other vocalist (and other portions thereof); the song doesn't quite hit the climax you'd expect, but it does hint at something much greater.

Get Rich or Try Dyin' definitely gets tepid at times and the album wouldn't suffer any if 10 minutes were trimmed from it. Still, a fine effort that proves the third wave is inspiring some talented acts.

STREAM
Breso
Hating Every Minute
I Rarely Relate
Under the Lampost

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mikeILL (December 14, 2010)

well they have a US tour on the way in jan 2011 taking in boston, broklyn, new york, dc and a couple of other places to. have a look on there site in the next while for more info.

billymitchell (December 5, 2010)

And as far as the names go, fuck off, pricks. Who gives a flying fuck? its a name. It's just something to be called by, not important. Besides, no one else used either so they jumped on it. If you don't like it, move on and don't post trash.

billymitchell (December 5, 2010)

I don't know, I loved nearly the entire album. Some songs, of course, are less appealing than others. But If and when they get a US tour going, I'll be at one of their stops, I don't care where.

Tye (September 7, 2009)

i really enjoyed some of this. extremely non-ska later on in the cd before returning to ska by the end. you can get it free at quote unquote records.

scientistrock (September 5, 2009)

I don't like that this is the band that gets that album title.

MeeSTa3k (September 5, 2009)

They don't have horns BUT...

Great way to show that you actually know what ska music is.

pencilsssssssssssssssssss (September 4, 2009)

i played 'hating every minute' a few times. it was okay for the time being.

i didn't like the others on their 'space. their band name sux and it'd be better if i didn't know they were a ska band.

yourwifesboyfriend (September 4, 2009)

I love these guys my bands first show was opening for them nicest dudes you can meet, personal stuff aside I think its a really solid release a helluva lot better then a lot of the bands around Dublin these days (By and large Indy wannabe bands and overproduced pop punk bands) One of the top Irish bands around.