The Straight Eights – “Four On The Floor”
“A straight-eight engine is an eight cylinder engine with all eight cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase that was popular in racing cars of the past.”
And though, I’m the least knowledgeable car person you’d ever run (your car) into, I can remember what this looks like by watching the Elvis Presley/Ann Margaret movie, “Viva Las Vegas,” too many times.
But I think, this is indeed an apt description of The Straight Eights band whose rip roarin’, rockin’, racing music moves along like a powerful internal combustive engine. It’s sleek, it’s strong with no unnecessary frills, able to take corners and chord changes at a moment notice with finesse and ease.
The last time I saw them, they were still a three piece. Since then they’ve added another cylinder on guitar, but they still have elements of punk, hardcore and metal in their music, a recipe TNB appreciates.
But I’d best describe them as punk’n’roll- sounding much like the early punk bands in Boston that played in the late seventies and early eighties at clubs like The Rat.
And yes, they put their own stamp on this style. And yes, I believe, they could’ve held their own with those revered bands of the past.
But I’m not here to contemplate Ancient History.
Let’s let the clutch out and let this engine roar:
“Follow Me” starts with some grungy, guitar chords followed by a steady rock beat. “Come and follow me down the hallway, come and follow me up the stairs, come and follow me through this locker, come and follow me into my lair.” Menacing lyrics lead to a chorus of “Don’t be afraid, I’ll be your friend, and I’ll be right behind you, until the end.” This song grinds along in a great, garage/punk groove much like a prime cut Iggy Pop tune. Spoilers alert: It doesn’t have a happy ending but it’s a musical pleasure to follow this song along.
“Burden” starts with a great, descending, somewhat dissonant guitar lick spiraling down. And once the drums kick it in we’re thrust into an energy pulsing, rockin’ tune. “Tell the world all your problems, but no one seems to care. Can’t seem to get it through your skull, that life isn’t fair.” This song is just poppin’ with energy and crashing power chords flying everywhere. Great lyrics abound in this song like, “You demand strict attention to everything you say. The only thing you don’t seem to know is when you’re in the way.” Wonderfully, emotional vocals and a kick ass rhythm section all add up to my favorite song on this EP.
“Circling The Drain” begins with a terrific, ringing guitar chord riff that rocks the joint up into the rafters. The band builds on this solid garage/punk groove for nearly a minute before the vocals come in. “Life sucks, your wife don’t love you and neither do your kids. Suicidal ideation, but who’d care if you did? You’re circling the drain.” After the first chorus the opening guitar riff just blasts in twice as strong. The chorus is sung with a desperate, passionate snarl as the drums beat twice as heavy and the guitars strum like they believe, that the shit stain we know as life is about to be flushed away. The tempo accelerates and a great ending of a great recording has just been played.
Some folks might say- “Hey Slimedog, what’s up with this Straight Eights Stuff? This ain’t cutting edge. This isn’t like the grindcore, power violence music you go on about? What’s up with that?”
This is music that is influenced by the music I listened to when I was growing up. Garage mixed with punk were the mainstays of the early Boston punk underground scene. When our music was struggling and fighting against the mainstream that wanted to choke the living life out of us and almost succeeded.
So I relate to The Straight Eights as I feel their style is as vital as some newer, great styles as well.
For punk music to still be alive and thrive is no small feat or accomplishment to me; and the only thing that surprises me, maybe even more than punk still being around, is that I am.
And I will always welcome and enjoy bands like The Straight Eights who combine fifties rock’n’roll spirit, with the rockin’ sixties garage sound along with the seventies punk revolution.
Hey, that sounds like a good description of something I would really like!
Like how this bands new release sounds to me.
(Slimedog)
