East Grand Record Company do an amazing job releasing a diverse amount of bands and music whom are relevant to the punk rock scene. The band I am covering today is a fantastic folk and punk act out of the back woods of Eastern Oklahoma called The Dirty Mugs. Their fusion of punk rock and folk music is like none other as they they make an effort to create their own sound while staying true to their punk rock roots. What automatically comes to mind is a mix of Chuck Reagan, and rockabilly greats, the Cramps, and you can certainly hear some inspiration from the Pogues, as well.
“Wildfire” brings a certain breed of energy that you seldom hear these days. For example, the first song off the record, “Dance With Me” is a high speed folk punk track that starts the album off with a fantastic tone. The anthemic “SGAF” is another gem that is accompanied by a melody you would here from a punk rock band. As I stated earlier, the Dirty Mugs are no stranger to trying new things and expanding their musical diversity while in “O’Death”, the intro sounds like a gospel song which is eventually followed by catchy guitar licks that you would hear in a band such as the Kings of Nuthin’ as well as an accordion. I really can’t complain about a band who goes out of their way to add different elements of music to keep the listener surprised and in suspense of the next song.
A personal favorite, “Row” is a pick me up type song that makes you want to put on your dancing shoes, and dance in a circle at one of their shows. If you are interested in more roots based songs (plenty of which are on this record), I would suggest hitting the track button to “Woodsfolk” or “As close as It Gets”. The explosive “Bomb Caravan” is a socially conscious track that makes you want to pump your fist with, as well. The album ends with “Expect Resistance” which is a perfect ending to the sixteen track powerhouse known as “Wildfire”. Its a short but sweet song that gives “Wildfire” the edge it needs. Overall, this is great album with roots based influences mixed with the energy of a punk rock band. I highly recommend this album to anybody who is a fan of true folk punk.
4/5 Stars