Part early Against Me! with a healthy smattering of Gogol Bordello, Oregon’s Larry and His Flask have been tearing up stages across the US and Europe on Frank Turner’s ‘Tape Deck Heart’ tour. With their barnstorming mix of punk, jazz, rag-tag and bluegrass Larry and His Flask have arrived to pulverise your senses. On their new EP ‘Hobo’s Lament’, Larry and His Flask leave a lasting impression, their madness infectious and their live show unparalleled.
Opening with the distorted fuzz of ‘Closed Doors’, this affectionate bluegrass song takes no prisoners, incredibly catchy, the lead vocals of Ian Cook have the right amount of grit and gruff to handle this fast paced number. Next up, with a ferocious guitar riff is ‘Big Ride’, a poetic, energetic exploration of the afterlife. Beautiful imagery and jazz hands abound ‘Big Ride’ is a stunner of a song. Moving into the most unhinged track on ‘Hobo’s Lament’ is the venom filled ‘My Name Is Cancer’. Standing at 2:16 it is the shortest, punchiest number on the EP, the kick drums are relentless, banjo crazed and harmonies tight. The dark lyricism of the track, “my name is cancer, I live inside you, among your cells, I aim to kill you”, perfectly matches the demented edge unleashed upon listeners.
‘Hobo’s Lament’ with its gentle acoustic introduction and forlorn melodies is a welcome change of tone to the former madness. Evoking both The Everly Brothers (yeah, that’s right, just name dropped The Everly Brothers and what?!) and hints of the music hall, ‘Hobo’s Lament’ is a colourful track full of gorgeous harmonies. Knowing that such prettiness can’t be retained for long, Larry and His Flask return to the throng with the buzzing ‘Swing’. Perfectly suited for the mosh pits (though perhaps one should don a checked shirt), Swing’s liveliness is unstoppable. It practically dares you not to lose your shit, something that only the most curmudgeon would resist.
Ending it with the slowest tracks on the EP, ‘So Long’ and the aptly titled ‘Slow It Down’, perfectly demonstrate Larry and His Flask’s impressive musical range. ‘So Long’ is a 50s throwback that could easily fit in a prom dance montage. While ‘Slow It Down’ even shows hints of, dare I say it, Aerosmith realms of power balladry. To say they end on a high would be an insult to a band and an EP that is so captivating, lively and unhinged that to let it pass you by would be a crime against music. A must buy.
CLARA CULLEN