Live a Bit.
That is the opening mantra on the new Rudebeard EP, and I couldn’t agree more. The older I get, the more important this becomes. This declaration of intent sets up the remaining tracks perfectly. A feel-good song that will start off with you tapping your feet before just wanting to jump up and dance.
Live your own life. Thrown Away skanks along at pace bemoaning wasting the best years of your life working for The Man before you are no longer of any use and you are dumped on the scrap heap.
The feel-good ska sound continues throughout the six tracks, but a warning, Rudebeard don’t hold back on their social commentary – pick your place for blaring out the tunes. There is certainly a NSFW warning that goes along with the music…
NSFW
You Can’t Trust Any Cunt (These Days) a case in point. Kicking off like The Damned, the tune settles into its full on punk infused ska and lists the sort of people that can’t be trusted (including me unfortunately – sorry I like milk in my coffee…). Favourite line – “I don’t trust anyone with a sleekit pus”.
For Your War includes the pithy lyric that gives the EP its title, “there’s wideo’s on the rise”. The anti-war anthem paraphrases military bands while suggesting those who start the wars should be prepared to “fight your (their) own battles”.
So, we’ve had a bit of a Damned influence. Well would you believe there is a bit of a Simon & Garfunkel/The Graduate influence too? Hey, Mrs Jones takes the age-old tale of boy meets woman and updates it for the 21st Century pirate ska generation. Listen closely and you’ll note that while this is Rudebeard all the way, it makes neat little nods toward Mrs Robinson.
Hold Your Head Up High
The EP closes with Hold Your Head Up High, an uplifting bangin’ call to arms advocating sticking up for who you are in the face of ignorant degenerates that don’t know the meaning of the word’s diversity or equality.
Live a Bit – catch Rudebeard live in Glasgow this weekend with Rockabilly ska’sters The Three ‘n’ Eights. If you want a quality night out, I’m sure you can trust these cunts…