As I looked through my collection to try and determine what number studio album this is, I lost count, and then you must determine if the likes of ‘Keep It Real’ count. At the end of the day, let’s just say the Dwarves have been releasing awesome music and doing it their way for over 40 years. They first crossed my path with the fantastic ‘Sugarfix,’ and I have remained a fan since that time. They have released albums I love, and some that have not connected with me as much. Their last main album ‘Concept Album’ received an expanded deluxe version when it was released on CD, which made it an extremely long album of 26 songs and bout 47 minutes. ‘Jenkem’ finds us returning to familiar territory as these 14 songs scream by in less than 20 minutes.
Irreverent lyrics have been a constant throughout their history, and nothing changes here. The album blasts off with the one-minute ‘Confused’ blowing by in a flash. If there is a difference between the likes of their ‘Blood, Guts…’ album and this new one, it is the production value the band has developed, where the songs receive an extra level of clarity. The guitars slice through the mix in all the right ways while the rhythm section also gets room. ‘We are the Scene’ is simply classic Dwarves; the hooks are deadly. ‘Drug Lust’ is another song that could have been released 35 years ago by the band.
‘Damned If I Do’ is one of the epics on the album where the band stretch the pop punker out to two minutes. The guitar work is outstanding, and it is one of those Dwarves’ songs where you know a radio station should be playing it. The killer guitar riffs of ‘I Must Confess’ induce mandatory air guitar and posing in front of the mirror. For ‘Too Messed Up,’ they add some female backing vocals on the chorus to elevate the song. Dahlia’s brilliant vocals are immediately recognisable. The intensity is very slightly lessened for ‘I’m Dead’, where the band deliver another quick hook to the brain.
We find ourselves quickly on the back half of the album and have a very brief acoustic introduction to ‘Bad Drugs.’ This is one you could drop onto one of their old Epitaph albums, and it would slot into place. The intensity gets cranked through the roof for ‘I Wish You Were Dead’, where the throat-ripping vocals still provide plenty of hooks to scream along to as you listen. ‘Psychosis Tripping’ was an initial surprise to me because I thought it would be more likely to be more rambling musically due to the title. Instead, this is another melodic masterpiece with a chorus you will not forget. ‘Melania’ reminds me a bit of the Supersuckers, who I think it is fair to say are contemporaries of the Dwarves and channel some similar punk n roll avenues.
The staggering beat of ‘Here We Come’ provides another diverse diamond to the record with its attitude and blend of screams and melody. The band delivers a wrecking ball with ‘Be Ruthless Destroy’, leaving nothing but ruins after its one-minute apocalypse. Another one that could have easily come from their early catalogue. Closing out the album, they provide a bit of a curveball with ‘Last Call Lily.’ This is an over-the-top chorus that you almost don’t want to let into your brain because it… does… not… go… away. Musically, there is a bit of early rock n roll flavour to the song.
In less than 20 minutes, you then start this journey all over again. Is it the best album the band has ever released? Most of us will probably say no due to nostalgic factors around certain albums, but this is really the Dwarves delivering a classic-sounding album filled with tremendous songs which make an immediate impact and others which will worm their way deep into your skull. So again, is it their best album? Let’s revisit the matter in a year or two, but I think this delivers a case for it and proves there will be no resting on their laurels.
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Author: Gerald Stansbury
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