MUSIC REVIEW: UNWRITTEN LAW - 'SWAN'
Pop Punk Gains New Grace With an Album of Alternating Powers
(Suburban Noize Records | BreakSilence Recordings) It’s been tough-livin’ for awhile for the rabid Unwritten Law fan like me. Not having much to work with since 2005’s Here’s To The Mourning, the UL natives were getting...ahem, restless. So it’s with great pleasure that I report Swan is definitely worth the wait.
Swan seems to be a record for a certain Unwritten Law fan. Folks dying for a little bit of that nostalgia, the SoCal skatepunk-inspired sound, and the “whoa ohs” that Unwritten Law became known for in the early 1990s but who are also secretly hoping that the band, much like they themselves, have grown up. Well, at least a little bit.
Opening the record is “Starships and Apocalypse,” which sounds like the Unwritten Law that we’ve come to know in more recent UL efforts. An easy pick as far as first tracks go, it sets a poppy, easy-to-dive-into tone. Soon enough, however, come the big guitar songs, like track three, “Dark Dayz.” The title “Dark Dayz” itself says a lot--an almost rockabilly-influenced punk song chronicling a struggling, soul-crushing relationship. Whether or not it’s about Russo’s past relationship with drugs or a heartless woman remains unclear.
And let’s not forget those ballads. It simply wouldn’t be an Unwritten Law record without them, and they help maintain the band’s long-standing reputation as one of the most well-rounded acts around. “Sing” and “Love Love Love” are the record’s most gentle numbers, yet somehow, much to my surprise, feature the strongest messages. Rounding out the album is “Swan Song,” a great way to bring it back to that classic Unwritten Law sound.
The collective group of songs featured on this album are cohesive yet conflicting...which is perhaps my favorite thing about Swan. For example, there are songs about power, or not having enough of it: “Nevermind,” and also having too much of it: “Let You Go.”
You guys. There’s even a rap-rock song. And it’s good. I promise. “Chicken (Ready To Go)” features rapper Del The Funkee Homosapien. While it’s a bit difficult to decipher lyrically, it meshes together Del The Funkee Homosapien and Scott Russo’s voices seamlessly. I’m sorry, but it makes be want to party. That’s the nostalgia part of me speaking, I swear.
Some may argue that this may be Unwritten Law’s best work to date. Despite the fact that I disagree (um, did they hear 1994’s Blue Room or 2002’s Elva?), I can see where these people are coming from. This record has more mass appeal than many of their previous releases, and it’s certainly the band’s most diverse effort. That’s wildly surprising, considering that this band, despite some pretty intensive lineup changes and some other personal “lows,” has been doing this for just over 20 years. Impressive.
Speaking of years…six is quite a long time to be “out of the game.” I’m happy, it seems, that Russo and the boys have used the time wisely. Fear not, my friends--there’s plenty of those “whoa ohs” to go around here. While the record is strong on its own, I feel as though it will sound even better live and was written with the outdoor stage in mind. Be sure to catch a few this summer on The Vans Warped Tour. I’ll be the one up front, sweating my ass off, begging for just one more song.
For Fans Of: The Offspring, MxPx, Goldfinger
Standout Tracks: “Dark Dayz,” “Last Chance,” “Let You Go”
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