BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE
The Damned, The Dumb and The Delirious
[SideOneDummy Records]
Verdict: 7/10

Just like all of the great bar bands before them, Big D And The Kids Table does a pretty admirable job of blending together a plethora of instruments, while containing the gritty vocals and angst that punk music has. Since 1995 these guys have been doing this, and their latest release shows that this band is not slowing down. Their 2004 release, How It Goes was a bit too dirty and punk-rooted for my likings, while their 2009 release Fluent In Stroll was an odd turn down soft alley. But no matter what you liked out of these guys before, this album does a great job of mixing soft and heavy, happy and mad, though this record showcases their rebirth back into the punk scene. With a bit of a ska element to their music, Big D And The Kids Table relies on some speedy guitar beats and vocals. The vocals are raw but not perfect, as honestly, some of David McWane’s vocals sounded very rushed, as if he was drunk or something. But don’t let that put you down, as the record has some pretty catchy songs. They’re fun to sing along to and have a sort of spirit and spunk that I expect to get out of music like this. “Walls”, “Modern American Gypsy”, and “My Buddy’s Back” are really soulful and fun to hum, while the guitar, keyboard, saxophone, trombone, and drums put together a nice, thick wall for the punk-esque vocals. A lot of the songs remind me of their Massachusetts brethren, the Dropkick Murphys. These guys tend to keep up that fun spirit in most of the songs, though I found “Clothes Off” to be utterly disgusting and some of the songs the 18-track album really could’ve done without. If you liked these guys in the past, I don’t think anything about their latest work will stop you from liking them, and if you hadn’t heard these guys before, check out a few songs from The Damned, The Dumb, & The Delirious, I think you’ll find some enjoyment out of them. – by Tim Dodderidge