I just remember thinking the first time I heard Latterman, ‘this isn’t what Deep Elm are supposed to be releasing’… which I guess is what many people may have thought. I mean, the label is more commonly known for it’s indie-rock (that’s emo to those who knew the term before the mass media cottoned on) stylings rather than finger-waggling riffs and machine-gun drums. But for those who though that record may have been a one-off, Small Arms Dealer may come as a further surprise.
These guys aren’t quite as good as Latterman, but they do a Lawrence Arms-meets-Hot Water Music thang with style and passion. Oh, and they’ll get your fingers waggling and pointing like it’s going out of fashion. SAD feature ex-members of On The Might Of Princes and continue that Revelation-era gruff sound that served the members’ old bands so well. Vocalist Jason Lubrano has a voice which reminds me of some of the previously mentioned bands, but of course it’s the guitars that make this record as good as it is – they soar, they thrash out riffs and they sound great.
Small Arms Dealer are dark – there is constant reference to weapons and fighting on this record which, combined with the rough-edged vocals, adds bite and gritty realism. ‘Tonight…On A Very Special Episode’ marries everything that is so good about this band nto one delightful track, with belting riffs, thumping drums and impassioned vocals. ‘My Headlocks Are (Crazy)’ slows things down a notch before ‘Your Sister’s A werewolf’ brings on the rock. There are 12 songs here and each one is good enough to carry through 32-minutes of rock. If recent releases are anything to go by – plus the controversial signing of Fightstar – maybe Deep Elm’s new direction will suit them. Latterman brought the rock, SAD simply carry on the tradition. Get your fingers ready…
www.smallarmsdealer.net
Deep Elm
Paul