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Dwarves

The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll

Written by: PP on 04/01/2015 21:01:17

Dwarves are an institution within punk rock that refuses to die. Emphasizing crude lyrical matter and imagery that can be deemed as an attempt to maximize political incorrectness, they've been steadily releasing records since 1986's "Horror Stories" with their latest one "The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll" being their ninth full-length overall. If like me, your exposure to the band has been minimal throughout their career, an introduction of sorts is in order: the band's song titles on the album range from "Sluts Of The USA" to "Trailer Trash", which are merely mild indicators to the shock-value oriented lyricism the band has dealt with throughout their career. Their artwork, like the one depicted here, usually always depicts naked girls (and frequently, midgets) in compromising positions that should elicit nightmarish complaints from Swedish feminazis not catching onto the satire at all.

This album is no different. Ranging between hardcore punk, old school 80s style punk, and more melodic punk with a modern flavor, the band race through tracks mostly below the two-minute mark touching lyrical themes that would make most people red-faced upon hearing them for the first time. The hardcore tracks are alright, such as the opener "Hate Rock" and "Bleed Alright", but where the band excel is on the melodic punk tracks with ultra catchy sing alongs like "Sluts Of The USA", "Kings Of The World", "Trailer Trash" and "Fiction". Here, they combine their offensive nature with cheerful melodies and fist-pumping, anthemic deliveries that suggest a reason for why Dwarves have been able to keep going as a band for so long against all odds. Instrumentally, you can tell they're an old school band from the 80s given the sheer amount of brief guitar solos and displays of technical prowess packaged within the songs, owing their influence to various hair metal bands of that era, but fortunately they avoid too much cheese and return quickly to straight forward punk rock every time.

And if there's one underlying theme (other than lyrical) to this album, it is exactly that. Dwarves show no bullshit nor extra tricks on the record, merely deliver their old school expression straight up and as you might expect a band does who have nearly three decades of experience behind them. But that is also the stumbling stone of this record. Sure, it's funny, but it's a little bit simple and, to be honest, if you're not wearing studs as a part of your genre outfit daily, there's not that much to come after once the novelty wears off. Decent record, but lacks the flair of a great one.

Download: Trailer Trash, Sluts Of The USA, Kings Of The World, Fiction, Irresistible
For the fans of: 7Seconds, Turbonegro, The Vandals, SNFU
Listen: Facebook

Release date 23.09.2014
Burger Records / Recess Records / Greedy