Drunk Stuntmen – Trailer Life

Drunk Stuntmen – Trailer Life / 2005 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.drunkstuntmen.com / Reviewed 21 May 2006

The guitar work that starts “Clear Channel” is something that cannot immediately be thrown into a specific genre. It can work equally well in punk or rock compositions, and it is only the next few minutes that individuals can get an idea of where the Drunk Stuntmen take their influences. This set of influences means that the Drunk Stuntmen play a brand of rock that seems to find its highest level of comfort in the alt-rock of bands like Dishwalla and Harvey Danger.

The style of rock is very smooth and will go down like the sweetest nectar; the arrangements are not anything to write home about, but they will get an entire drunk, frat-attending crowd into a frenzy. The arrangements are perhaps the strongest part of the Drunk Stuntmen, as they do not only go for the hardest-hitting options. Rather, during songs like “Get to the Wine”, the band flitters around a point before going onto the next track; the bouncy country-influenced style of the track means that individuals can get into the band easily. Steven’s vocals always come from the same general style and are the one constant in a band that moves from country influence to a horn-based band in just a few minutes (from “Get to the Wine” to “Bolinas”.

The use of a synthesizer during “Bolinas” is something that will undoubtedly keep individuals interested in the band, and pump the catchiness inherent in the band’s compositions. The band even goes further into an earlier style of music as J. Scott’s bass guitar takes on a walking style; this is definitely a foray into the rockabilly of bands like Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats. The band gets into a hard-hitting sound even if the rockabilly sound would not immediately elicit thoughts of individuals rocking out. Throwing some more alt-country into the mix with “Made of Wood” (through a slide guitar), Drunk Stuntmen continue to pull on the styles that individuals can really get behind. This is a band that could play any bar in the United States and transform the crowd from being ignorant about the band into a brand new set of fans, singing along to every word. Here’s to hoping that the Drunk Stuntmen can come up with another album of this quality when they go back into the studio; “Trailer Life” gives individuals an idea about how catchy this act is.

Top Tracks: Bolinas, Mystery

Rating: 6.4/10

[JMcQ]