Everett Album Reviews- The Stanfields Vanguard of the Young & Reckless

Everett Album Reviews- The Stanfields Vanguard of the Young & Reckless

If your living in the Maritimes it is impossible to ignore the hard working Stanfields. The first time I saw them was at the Cellar Pub in Fredericton NB and they turned a mediocre night into a great party, actually every one of their shows I have been to has been a rowdy party. Everyone in the crowd is singing a long and pumping their fists and shooting Jager. So when I went to listen to their new album “Vanguard of the Young & Reckless” I was worried they would not be able to catch their live energy. I was very wrong from the first song “Hinder” the rowdy pirate rock I have grown to expect from their live shows is right there.

The album starts off with the above mentioned “Hinder” and moves into the well known “Dirtiest Drunk (and the history of Liquor)” and the album takes on a new East Coast punk feel. “Ship to Shore” carries on the great punk feeling and tells another great story. One of the best features of this album is that every song has a great tale and it is backed up by clever lyrics and great music. “Don’t Make Me Walk Away” and “Crocodile Tears” are great relationship stories but not sappy romance, they are real man relationship songs which is a refreshing taste in this part of the country. I would actually go out on a limb and say that “Crocodile Tears” is one of the greatest breakup songs of all time.

Every song on this album is filled with great instrumentation from the diverse styles and players in the group. Jason Wright proves that he is a utility man going from instrument to instrument. Jon Landry’s voice is the rough growl that gives the music its sound bridging between Rock, Punk and Country.

It is an amazing pleasure to hear an album that is blatantly not trying to conform to a genre or a sound. There is no pandering on this album and for that I give them a lot of credit. This album may not be what every band would make but it is an album that every musician would love to be on. This is the album Steve Earle wishes he could write, but the Stanfields did it already.