Artist: Black Thorn
Album: Flatfoot 56
Year: 2010
Label: Old Shoe Records (US), Stomp Records (CAN), I Hate People Records (EUR), Big Mouth Records (Japan)
Website: http://www.flatfoot56.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/flatfoot56
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flatfoot56
Twitter: @flatfoot56
Buy: iTunes - Amazon - Official Store
Sounds Like: The Dropkick Murphys, Floggin Molly, Street Dogs, Johnny Rioux, Compound, Pogues, Dubliners, Green Day, From Autumn To Ashes, The Real McKenzies, Rancid, Swingin’ Utters, US Bombs, The Offsprings, Pennywise, SNFU, Social Distortion
Rating: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥

The 2010 is a decade of energetic Celtic punk-rock for Flatfoot 56. The band is formed by Tobin Bawinkel (vocals / guitar), along with his brothers Justin (drums, vocals) and Kyle Bawinkel (bass, vocals), and also Erich McMahon (bagpipes and guitar) and Brandon Good (mandolin and guitar). Produced by Jonny Rioux (The Street Dog), “Black Thorn” is constructed by 13 songs that celebrate the pride of the working class and its roots in Chicago. “Everyone goes through difficulties, but you’re not alone. Punk rock is about community and brotherhood. This album is a contribution to it” says Tobin about his new project.

The enigmatic, almost dark introduction “The Escape (Intro)” leads the album gradually through the interaction between a mandolin, acoustic guitar, the crack of sticks, the hypnotic bagpipe and the chaotic narration: “Tired of the everyday grind? / Want to get away from it all? / Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? / We offer you escape”. Then we’re thrown by the titletrack “Black Thorn” with honest lyrics: “It doesn’t matter when you ran your race / It’s not about how you set your pace / In the end will you be true? / And if you can’t, I’m forgetting you”, inspiration that comes from Hebrews 12, where Paul describes this thorn in his flesh as an analogy to which we must face. Immediately, “Born For This” reminds us all the reason Flatfoot 56 has to make music. The recipe waiting in lyrics slaps us: “To all my brothers, to all my brothers’ sons / You can’t find freedom in money, it has to be won”. The passionate tribute to all those everyday heroes is embodied in “Courage”. An ode to the inspiration of those heroes who remain relevant in a wicked world: “Courage, your name means something to me / These heroes, they last through time / Courage, your name means something to me / A champion of the daily grind”. The schizophrenic bagpipes in “Smoke Blower” light up against the resistance. With an infectious melody record that stealthily includes Egyptians riffs, who talks about the struggle between finding time for everything important in your life while trying to escape of the world’s hourglass; our goal is to maintain faith in the midst of so many distractions: “Give me time, give me time / ’Cause I’m stuck in this world’s hourglass / Give me time, give me time / This sand is flowing too fast”. Suddenly, the disc becomes more intimate, even romantic with “Shiny Eyes”, an acoustic love song with accordions and mandolins: “In times of hell, in times of sun / You journeyed with me, my precious one / Far stretched the road I found you on / We walked together arm in arm”. On the other hand, “We Grow Stronger” seeks strength in poverty (2 Corinthians 12:9): “Wohooh… And through our weakness we grow stronger”. Following this musical stampede, we come to “Son Of Shame”, which combines the fatigue and problems of the world together with the mandolin and bagpipes, while “Stampede” raises the pressure of society in an accelerated performance. Again, love invades the atmosphere with “Won Me Over”, which graphics means those solid guitar riffs, a newly married man and another who is madly in love with his wife: “And I’m just a poor old boy with no shoes on my feet / but this raisin-like, frail heart has just found a beat”. We came to the infectious, driven, well-written “Way Of The Sun”, which sounds like a hymn of all the saints march forward to that day where Christ returns a second time. Finally, the successful “Hothead” gives an exciting end to the disk. Perhaps because of its intoxicating drums and the desperate voice of the vocalist. I really do not know. But certainly I love it.

“Black Thorn” is one of those strange and abusive artworks. This time, Flatfoot 56 defines more clearly its vision and punk sound. Awaken your consciousness in a overly creative way.

El 2010 es una década de enérgico punk-rock céltico para Flatfoot 56. La banda conformada por Tobin Bawinkel (vocalista/guitarra), junto a sus hermanos Justin (batería y voces) Kyle Bawinkel (bajo y voces), además de Erich McMahon (gaitas y guitarras) y Brandon Good (mandolina y guitarras). Producido por Jonny Rioux (The Street Dog), “Black Thorn” se construye a partir de 13 canciones que celebran el orgullo de la clase obrera y sus raíces en Chicago. “Todos pasamos por dificultades, pero no estás solo. El punk rock se trata de la comunidad y la hermandad. Este disco es una contribución a ello”, confiesa Tobin acerca de su nuevo proyecto.

La enigmática, casi oscura introducción “The Escape (Intro)” conduce el álbum progresivamente a través de la interacción entre una mandolina, la guitarra acústica, el chasquido de baquetas, la hipnótica gaita y la caótica narración: “Tired of the everyday grind? / Want to get away from it all? / Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? / We offer you escape”. Luego, somos arrojados por el titletrack “Black Thorn”, con honestas líricas: “It doesn’t matter when you ran your race / It’s not about how you set your pace / In the end will you be true? / And if you can’t, I’m forgetting you”, inspiración que nace de Hebreos 12, dónde Pablo describe aquella espina en su carne como una analogía a la que tenemos que enfrentar. Inmediatamente, “Born For This” nos recuerda a todos el motivo que Flatfoot 56 tiene al hacer música. La receta expectante en la letra nos da una bofetada: “To all my brothers, to all my brothers’ sons / You can’t find freedom in money, it has to be won”. El homenaje apasionado a todos aquellos héroes del día a día, se plasma en “Courage”. Una oda a la inspiración de aquellos héroes cotidianos que se mantienen relevantes en un mundo perverso: “Courage, your name means something to me / These heroes, they last through time / Courage, your name means something to me / A champion of the daily grind”. Las esquizofrénicas gaitas en “Smoke Blower” se encienden en contra de la resistencia. Con un infeccioso registro melódico que sigilosamente incluye riffs egipcios, que habla sobre la lucha entre encontrar tiempo para todo lo importante en tu vida y al mismo tiempo tratar de escapar del reloj de arena del mundo; nuestra meta es mantener la fe en medio de tantas distracciones: “Give me time, give me time / ’Cause I’m stuck in this world’s hourglass / Give me time, give me time / This sand is flowing too fast”. Repentinamente, el disco se torna más íntimo, incluso romántico con “Shiny Eyes”; una canción de amor acústica con acordeones y mandolines: “In times of hell, in times of sun / You journeyed with me, my precious one / Far stretched the road I found you on / We walked together arm in arm”. Por otro lado, “We Grow Stronger” busca fortaleza en la miseria (2 Corintios 12:9): “Wohooh… And through our weakness we grow stronger”. Siguiendo esta estampida musical, llegamos a “Son Of Shame”, que combina la fatiga y los problemas del mundo junto a la mandolina y la gaita, mientras que “Stampede” saca a flote la presión de la sociedad en una acelerada performance. Una vez más el amor invade la atmósfera con “Won Me Over”, que grafica mediante esos sólidos riffs de guitarra, a un hombre recientemente casado y a otro que está locamente enamorado de su esposa: “And I’m just a poor old boy with no shoes on my feet / but this raisin-like, frail heart has just found a beat”. Llegamos a la contagiosa, impulsadora, bien escrita “Way Of The Sun”, que suena como un himno de marcha de todos los santos ansiosos por aquel día dónde Cristo retorne por segunda vez. Finalmente, la acertada “Hothead” le da un desenlace excitante al disco. Tal vez por sus embriagantes tambores y la desesperada voz del vocalista. La verdad, no lo sé. Pero ciertamente me encanta.

“Black Thorn” es de esas extrañas y abusivas piezas de arte. Esta vez Flatfoot 56 define con más claridad su visión y su sonido punk. Despierta tu conciencia de una manera exageradamente creativa.