Down By Law

Lonely Town

Written by: PP on 17/04/2021 21:34:05

Fronted by Dave Smalley (DYS, Dag Nasty, All), Down By Law is one of those legendary groups that were somehow never discovered by the community at large, and remain a cult classic with influence cited by the majority of the modern punk community rooting back to their mid-90s releases. That continues on the tenth album "Lonely Town", which features a cleaner sound than usual, now drawing closer parallels to The Bouncing Souls than H2O who were otherwise the next closest counterpart on for example "Champions At Heart".

The album highlight is arguably "So Solo", a huge, expansive anthem with an infectious chorus. It captures the uplifting vibe of "Lonely Town" overall perfectly through its hollered melodic punk rock style that also brings to mind Face To Face among others. It's easygoing, but immediately recognizable and catchy, just like "Anthem" which showcases a driving tempo and an infectious overall atmosphere. And that's just it about "Lonely Town": the soundscape is bright and joyous, leaving behind a positively charged ambiance that rubs off on its listener.

There are a couple of rawer, hardcore-rooted tracks on the record as well. One of them is "Black Sheep" which channels the same spirited, clean vocal hardcore style as H2O did on "Nothing To Prove". These provide a nice variation to the otherwise summery, melodic brand that dominates the record. Not that it's a problem: the positive charge is what makes "Lonely Town" such a vibrant, charismatic listen. And if you were ever longing back for the mid-90s golden years of punk rock, this record is exactly the type of nostalgia trip you'll want to experience.

Download: So Solo, Anthem, Lonely Town, Gleam,
For the fans of: Face To Face, H2O, The Bouncing Souls, All
Listen: Facebook

Release date 26.02.2021
Kung Fu Records

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