The Smoking Heart Album Review
The Smoking Hearts – Pride Of Nowhere – Album Review
Words by Ian Dickinson
The Smoking Hearts have created an album of music to get you off your arse, pickling your liver and punching puppies in the face. It is fast, upbeat, riff laden, scuzzy punk rock for people who want to have a good time with no thought for the consequences. Pride of Nowhere is The Smoking Hearts (TSH) third release since 2007 and the bands first full length adventure. If what you want is an album to keep your head banging and the party rocking into the dangerous hours of the next day Pride Of Nowhere is ideal for you
Drinking, rocking, womanizing, fighting, all the finest ‘ing’ words in our language are conjured up upon listening. The songs are gunshot fast with the majority clocking in around 2minutes. It is quite a feat to cram as much as they do into each track, especially the impressive guitar solos. The song George Street Wrestling epitomizes the sound and feel of the album with lyrics like “whiskey, women and the sound of guitars…this one’s going to be a real train wreck.” You know what you are getting yourself in for.
It is the guitars that play the standout role within Pride Of Nowhere making TSH slightly different from many of their peers. There are no break downs or double bass pedals. At times TSH lean towards the heavy Rock n Roll sound of Motorhead. It is a fusion of heavy British Rock n Roll riffs and tempo, with a Cajun seasoning of sleazy whiskey eroded vocal cords. It is an uncommon combination and it is surprising in the current climate for a Punk/Hardcore band to be so heavily riff driven. It reminds me of Turbonegro’s (Hot Cars & Spent Contraceptives era) very own brand of Death Punk.
When bands are focusing on the grim issues that face us on a daily basis it is good to have bands like TSH producing music that gets you in the mood for a good time. Even a severe case of alcohol poising wouldn’t stop me from reaching for a pack of smokes, a beer and finding some excitement with this on my stereo. One Eyed Drunk has a Black Sabbath tone and is the only time that the album ever becomes morbid or dark. I do find the upbeat aura a refreshing change of pace from the ultra gloomy and dejected sound of many harder bands out there right now.
Although it may be about 5 tracks to long and lacking in variety and depth, it is a decent album that fans of sleazy riffs and punk aggression will enjoy. Fans of other super hard Rock n Rollers, with southern swagger and switch blade charm, such as The Plight, Blackhole and The Shotgun Riot will find TSH a welcome addition to their musical arsenal.
I would like to make a special mention for the track title Thrash B4 Gash. I intend to make this my families’ motto from now till the end of time.
