As retro-obsessed as I am, a proper throwback of an album would surely be a fine way to round off my reviewing duties for the year. That album? ‘Tear Down Your Idols’, the just-released new album from Canadian gutter rockers, Dirtbag Republic.
Formed by singer Sandy Hazard and guitarist Mick Wood in 2014, ‘Tear Down Your Idols’ (titled in reference to both the tearing down of favourite bands that blow up big and heritage acts going through the motions on stage) is the Vancouver band’s third album, following 2015’s self-titled debut and 2017’s ‘Downtown Eastside’.
Described in the press blurb as having definite Hanoi Rocks and Dead Boys influences, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t more than a whiff of the former in the sonics ensconced in this eleven-track long player – ‘Sorry’ being a fine example. It’s a much more harder-edged album, though – more of a street rock ‘n’ roll record that will appeal to fans of Backyard Babies (probably the clearest soundalike here) and Buckcherry. There’s a mainlining of prime, pre-MTV Aerosmith here too. I’m guessing that you’ve already decided as to whether you’re going to check this album out just because of the bands that I’ve just mentioned? Well, here’s another one: I couldn’t help but be reminded of Helsinki scuzz rockers Hybrid Children when listening to ‘Tear Down Your Idols’.
The barroom piano on ‘Don’t Answer To No One’ adds another classic rock ‘n’ roll element, elevating the track to the top of my ‘must-play’ list from this album. At the bottom? Throwback records often trawl up questionable lyrics and this one is no different: the “anorexia nervosa” refrain in ‘Skinny’ is an eyebrow- rather than a fist-raiser that made even my headphones wince. The Manic Street Preachers’ ‘4st 7lb’ it is not.
Even though an idea that should never have made it past the rehearsal room does take the foot off the class, the band never takes it off the gas for the majority of the album; ‘Tear Down Your Idols’ could easily fill a space in your low-slung rock ‘n’ roll music collection.
Buy Here
Author: Gaz Tidey
Recent Comments