The Taxpayers

The Taxpayers: To Risk So Much for One Damn MealTo Risk So Much for One Damn Meal (2011)
Quote Unquote Records

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: JephsoJephso
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 15th 2011The Taxpayers sound a lot like Bomb the Music Industry! if BtMI! were to sacrifice some of Jeff Rosenstock's energy for tighter musicianship and better production. The similarity is uncanny, though. Like how Vampire Weekend sound a lot like Paul Simon. So it's not a surprise to find this release on .

The Taxpayers sound a lot like Bomb the Music Industry! if BtMI! were to sacrifice some of Jeff Rosenstock's energy for tighter musicianship and better production. The similarity is uncanny, though. Like how Vampire Weekend sound a lot like Paul Simon. So it's not a surprise to find this release on Rosenstock's label, Quote Unquote Records.

Did I mention this sounds a lot like Bomb the Music Industry!? Seriously-between the instruments used and their singer's vocal tones and lyrical themes, it's extremely similar. I think this album should have been advertised as a concept album based on BtMI!. Once you get over all that, though, you'll find a release which I think is actually more reliable than BtMI!. I find myself skipping a lot of tracks in BtMI!'s more recent output, but there's no need to skip anything here. That being said, there aren't any songs that really jump out and grab you. Like I said, for all its attempts, this album seems to lack that raw edge that makes it really jump out and grab you by the ears. It seems to straddle the line between downbeat and high energy extremely well. In fact, it's smack-bang in the middle.

I find each track starts with potential, and I'm just willing it to work itself up into a melodic frenzy, but it never really happens. The tracks seem to end prematurely sometimes, and you're left feeling like the band are happy to make music with eclectic instrumentation rather than actually working real melody and catchiness into their songs.

The thing that impresses me most about this album is the prominence of the horns. It's been getting harder and harder to find decent music with horns ever since the third wave died a horrible death, but again, I'm enjoying this from an instrumentation perspective-not because the horns really bring the songs to life.

Ultimately, you can't get away from how much this sounds like Bomb the Music Industry!. BtMI! have such a specific sound that it's impressive how accurately the Taxpayers have managed to replicate it. But To Risk So Much for One Damn Meal lacks that feeling of spontaneity and urgency that might have made it a must-own. Granted, it won't be all that often, but I imagine I'll listen to this when I'm wanting something in between chilled-out and bursting with raw energy.

You can't really complain when this is a donation-based download from Quote Unquote-I think its status as a potentially free download is appropriate for its quality. There's also a CD version available. I might have bought an LP if only for the funny album art. Bottom line: Download this if you're a BtMI! fan.

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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.

angryderek (June 7, 2012)

shitty band

jephso (April 6, 2011)

One of the things I've learnt from this review is that different people hear different things in music and draw different parallels and similarities. I still stand by my statement that this sounds a lot like BtMI! - it's the first thing I thought when I started playing this - but I've realised that not everyone will hear that.

billymitchell (March 25, 2011)

I love the album. I have had it on repeat since it came out. However, I think this review is very very off. I must say that it is well written, but I find absolutely no comparison between Bomb the Music Industry! and The Taxpayers. I love both and have been a fan of both for years and I just don't hear it. The music, songwriting, genre, style, and instruments are all pretty different.

alpod4 (March 6, 2011)

good album. vocals are like the guy from two gallants, jeff rosenstock and chris farren rolled into one. rad.

kingofsuck (February 21, 2011)

Granted, I haven't listened to this album, but I don't see the BTMI comparison.

Now that I think about it, I haven't listened to BTMI since whenever their first Asian Man album came out. Anybody want to buy a copy of the picture disc? It's only been listened to once and it's just collecting dust.

melu89 (February 20, 2011)

Love it

IcerC (February 17, 2011)

This Album got me started and now I just love these guys. Kinda sounds like "The Mountain Goats" but more extreme.

froggerwithmylife (February 17, 2011)

They sound like bomb the music industry, except not shitty and annoying.

thepopeofchili-town (February 16, 2011)

Can't stand BTMI and I enjoyed this. I think it sounds closer to early Fake Problems than anything.

CityRocker (February 16, 2011)

awful review, i don't see the similarity to BTMI that much and even if i did ... why mention it so many times instead of talking about some of the songs?
'it Gets Worse Every Minute' stood out for me and it has a solid start to the album.

ThisRespirator (February 15, 2011)

This doesn't sound like BTMI at all...I don't see the comparison...There's horns sure..I guess that's it.

I heard How Far Our Bodies Go clashed with It's Great To Be Alive.

niveK82 (February 15, 2011)

This ended up being my favorite release of last year. so damn addictive. I get a slight similarity to BTMI! but no where near the level the reviewer is talking about

wyld_stallyns_rule (February 15, 2011)

unbelievable album! I ended up picking up the cd/zine, a copy on vinyl, and the cassette version. Don't mind supporting an awesome group and great guys.

insidejoke (February 15, 2011)

yeah... i dont see the BTMI comparison at all. maybe more fake problems (how far our bodies go) or similar

regulartrite (February 15, 2011)

you are so damn wrong with the Btmi comparisons. I listen to btmi a lot, I would've noticed it even if it was a little bit. They do sound A LOT like the Mountain Goats, though.

colin (February 15, 2011)

also, this is a 2010 release.

colin (February 15, 2011)

i think the btmi comparisons are way off. solid album, though.

joe_weasel (February 15, 2011)

i don't think this sounds much like bomb at all... great album though.

ThoughtAboutThrowingUp (February 15, 2011)

This album is incredible, definitely their best.

thegimper (February 15, 2011)

This is, too date, my favorite release of the year. Nothing has come close yet.

Can't wait to see these fine folks in Tulsa on Sunday.

muktar (February 15, 2011)

no one should ever say anything but praise for btmi

and thsi cds pree good