You have to hand it to Fat Wreck Chords, they certainly know a good thing when they see it. Their ‘Live In A Dive’ series has already proven itself to be a hit, and with many artists waiting in the wings, has the potential to go from strength to strength. The latest band to be given the live treatment are the Swingin’ Utters.
The ‘Live In A Dive’ series of records takes the artists back to their roots playing a small club show. That show is then recorded and sold to the fan as the live experience. It is characteristically difficult to capture the live feel on a recording but Fat seem to have have done a good job so far. The other cool aspect of the series is that you get a little comic book as the inlay. On this occasion the Swingin’ Utters take part in a Scooby-Doo style mystery! The Utters’ show was recorded last year at the Troubadour in Hollywood, and features a very comprehensive set list that takes in twenty-three tracks.
The Swingin’ Utters have always been a band that I could take or leave so it came as a big surprise that this CD was to make big impression on me. This really captures the band at their live best. Johnny’s vocals are on top form and the sound quality is good without ever sounding too clean. From the very first chords of ‘Don’t Ask Why’ this proves to be a live album that demands your attention. The obligatory crowd sounds and onstage banter really do add to the banter. When country tinged track ‘All That I Can Give’ is described as “cheesy-sassy-shit for girls†you can’t help but laugh along.
What is the most important aspect of this album, though, is just how good the band’s back catalogue sounds in a live setting. There is no better combination than the superb double-header of classic songs ‘15th and T’ and ‘Teenage Genocide’. Other notable moments are the folk-tinged punk rock of ‘London Drunk’, the fast-paced ‘Windspitting Punk’ and the very last song of the encore,‘Catastrophe’.
Swingin’ Utters ‘Live In a Dive’ is another great addition to the series. You may not always see the band in this form, but there can be no denying that this is a strong live set, with a great choice of songs. This is a must for fans of the band and is strongly recommended if you’re yet to check them out.
www.swinginutters.com
www.fatwreck.com
Mark