Wednesday, April 9, 2014

DeeCRACKS- Beyond Medication

Europe as a whole is seeing some great bands make their mark this year with new releases. DeeCRACKS have stayed consistently active over the last four years, spreading their own super catchy brand of heavier pop punk with a very Lemmy sounding lead and 60's pop perfect backing vocals. One part that is missing in this activity though is they have not released a full length LP since "Attention! Deficit Disorder". Lucky for us, that has changed this month and today I'll be talking to you about their newest release "Beyond Medication".
 
 
The tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered during May of 2013 by Marco Perdacher at DESS Records in Klagenfurt,Austria. Live photos were taken by Dieter Fliety DeJonghe. Studio photos of the band were taken by Ingo Karnicnik. The artwork/layout was completed by Steve Little Fingers, from Screen Addicts. The cover itself is great and simple, focusing around a striking photo of the guys with a weathered around the edges look, a good match to the record title. Another thing I really dig about this release is that it's available on three separate formats. The mighty Monster Zero is solely putting out the LP(400 black, 100 limited half black/half white, with digital download) which will be available on the 26th of this month. MZ also teamed up with DUMB Records in Japan to do a CD(1000 copies) and then with Turbo Tapes in Austria to do a cassette(100 copies, with digital download). Both were made available on April 1st. Check em' all out, my fellow collector nerd friends!

Two songs were leaked ahead of this release and before the full stream. First was "Adderall" that came out on it's own 7", then "Don't Rely On Me". Both were quick to catch my attention and fall more within the classic DeeCRACKS sound however, this move was quite genius. The reason being is it leaves you completely unprepared to step into the first track, "Todo El Mundo Está Enamorado"("Everyone's In Love" if you're curious/don't know Spanish) which is an unbelievably fantastic surf instrumental. This throws you off  guard right away if you're walking in expecting to hear something like the two singles but definitely demonstrates the talent and diversity of these boys. It has a great 50's feel with some cool organ sounds and I adore the way it threads into "Dead End Mission", a very different and aggressive song, but the change is seamless. This is DeeCRACKS I'm crazy for. Kicking your ass and not apologizing for it either! "Down Out And Low" is another drawing from that punchier energy with a kick ass bass line from Manu. One thing I LOVE about this band is the two worlds they can jump back and forth from with a lot of ease. One exists within a sound that is menacing, cagey, and uncompromising. The other is less guarded and open. You'll hear the latter in "Charité Forever", "Crazy Girl", and one of my top three most favorite songs on this record, "Please Hold On". This is the one that has such a perfect balance of Matt and Mike's vocal tones, also very much on two ends of a spectrum, but fitting together like a puzzle. Beautiful song. That's not the end of this experience though! Not by a long shot. "Move On" is a surprise as well with a lot of keyboards and almost a power pop feel to it but my most favorite expansion in creativity on this record is "Summers Gone". Solid mid-tempo punk rock song lamenting a love lost which is already perfect enough with Matt's vocals but after the first few lines, you'll hear a lovely female vocal joining in from Connie Dee. She is well suited to the duet and it was executed perfectly!! Things come to an upbeat close with "Stroll The Streets" that also has some keyboards and a great bounding tempo.

"Beyond Medication" is the reminder pop punk needs in 2014 because even with the different musical elements used in putting together this album, there is no denying that overall, punk rock was the foundation all the way through. That is what makes DeeCRACKS stand out in a realm that can be quite ambiguous these days and this record an absolute must for any punk rocker. Pick up any of the formats from the Monster Zero webstore and thank yourself later for the good decision. It's one I fully endorse!

DeeCRACKS are...
Matt C. - vocals/guitar
Mike C. - drums/vocals
Manu C. - bass/vocals

Guest Vocals/Musicians:
Jarvis Fugger(4 years old/Kid from "Monkeyboy" video)- does the "1-2-3-4" on "Todo El Mundo Está Enamorado"
Connie Dee- guest vocals on "Summer’s Gone"
Lightnin Iris(The Incredible Staggers)- Additional Farfisa

All songs written and arranged by DeeCRACKS except for the bonus track "Juliet"(Robin & Maurice Gibb)

TRACKS 
Side A
1. Todo El Mundo Está Enamorado
2. Dead End Mission 
3. Terminal Deadness 
4. Charité Forever 
5. Let’s Get Locked Away 
6. Down Out And Low 
7. Adderall 
8. Don’t Rely On Me 
Side B
9. Nothing Matters
10. Move On 
11. No Way Back 
12. Please Hold On 
13. Crazy Girl 
14. Summer’s Gone 
15. Stroll The Streets 
BONUS TRACK
16. Juliet  (Included in digital download code with the LP and Cassette/Hidden track on CD)

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