We Are the Union has always seemed like a perfect blend of the best parts of Less Than Jake and No Use For A Name to me, so when they went on a hiatus from active status back in 2013, a little hole was left that used to be filled by WATU. Thankfully, the hiatus was a short one and the band is releasing a new 6 song EP, Keep It Down.
The most immediate and noticeable difference is this is We Are The Union sans horns. Though the horns added a level and really made some stand out ska moments on previous releases, the band does a great job of coping for the lack of the horn ska standard and the absence of horns is never a major concern. In fact, it seems there’s even more ska on this record than any previous releases. Things that haven’t changed: catchy vocals, excellent drumming, and stellar guitar work.
The EP starts with the anti-complacency anthem “Call In Dead”, which between the bouncy riff, the fast ska, the halftime chorus, the superbly done solo, and the reggae last chorus, it’s hard to find a better crafted example of what ska/punk songs should be. “The Dreams That You Forgot” is a feel better song that, had you told me it was a cover of a Less Than Jake song, I probably would’ve believed you. The stringed instruments are warm and distorted in all the right ways and places and every upstroke is crisp and clean. Next comes “My Whole Life Is A Dark Room” which contains the rock and roll riffage and faster punk sections common in all We Are The Union releases.
A cover of Green Day’s “Burnout” comes next, and though completely unnecessary, it’s always pretty fun to hear a band you admire cover a band you idolize pretty much note for note. The Smash Mouth inspired “The Kings Of Chords” is next and provides the inspiration for the title of the EP itself. This is quite possibly the best song on the EP, but it most certainly is the most fun to listen to. Last comes “Bury Me” which ends the EP and wraps it up nicely with a sing-a-long repetitive chorus.
Keep It Down is short. It clocks in at just around 16 minutes, but its 16 minutes of pure enjoyment. If you’re a fan of Fat Wreck bands and are looking for a summer EP to enjoy, your search is over. We Are The Union have come back with a short but great selection of tunes to kick off the summer season of music in the right way.
Tracklist:
1. Call In Dead
2. The Dreams That You Forgot
3. My Whole Life Is A Dark Room
4. Burnout (Green Day Cover)
5. The King of Chords
6. Bury Me
RIYL: Less Than Jake, Fat Wreck Chords bands, Lifetime
Rating:
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