(Punk Bluegrass) Old Man Markley - Guts n’ Teeth - 2011, MP3, VBR ~277 kbps

I have a confession to make. I love the fiddle. Special note here, I especially like it when it’s played by a nice looking lady like Katie Weed.
Confession number 2: I dig the banjo. I know this puts a mark on my hard core punk card, but I really don’t care. The fact that John Rosen makes it scream for mercy just makes it better.
I first caught Old Man Markley at Punk Rock Bowling 12 in 2010. I was blown away by their stage presence and musicianship. Since then I have been waiting patiently for their first release. When I found out that Fat Mike had signed them, I thought “Perfect!” My patience paid off with the release of “Guts N’ Teeth.”
Old Man Markley bills themselves as “Punk Bluegrass.” Some songs on the record are more Bluegrass than punk, but with lyrics like “My winter coat was red (like the color of her dress)/Now I held her one last time (then I laid her down to rest)/Well, I gave her every chance (she should have realized)/That’s why they had me locked away (that’s why she had to die)” I can see Ricky Skaggs getting his own noose ready. I read somewhere that Old Man Markley was the American Flogging Molly. I would have to agree. Flogging Molly’s music has it’s roots in Irish folk music. Old Man Markley pushes the same crack, but based on the American tradition of Bluegrass.
Guts N’ Teeth is a very good record and a fantastic freshman release. The production quality is everything you have come to expect from Fat. The most impressive aspect of this record is the arrangements. When you can make eight musicians, four vocalists and who knows how many actual instruments come out sounding that good… you have done a very good thing.
The first track on the record “For Better For Worse” is a perfect opener. Fast and melodic, it lets you know right of the bat what to expect.
Other standout tracks include “Running Weight” a song about transporting illegal substances. This song brings back some fond memories of The Reverend Horton Heat. I love the melody and the harmonica rolling through the background is a genius touch.
The title track, “Guts N’ Teeth,” is one of my favorites on the record. The vocal harmonies work perfectly. One question; Is that Fat Mike I smell in the studio? Ghost producer maybe?
“Song Songs” is a great song. Outlining the types of songs we all listen to while landing in its own category of “Songs about songs.” It is thoughtful in its accounting of songs while also being thought provoking as you recall songs that fit exactly to the lyrics. “Songs that you know every word to, so you can sing along” – yep, this one too.
I have a personal play list called “Looking for Blues in All the Wrong Places.” Songs like “Artificial Red” by Mad Season and Jet Boy’s “Hometown Blues” fill the list. The Old Man Markley song “Lowdown Blues” will fit right in.
Overall this is a great record. I have listened to it back to back several times. A must have. If you have the chance to catch these guys live don’t miss it. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Funnily enough, Old Man Markley’s Guts n’ Teeth has just reinforced a discussion I had with MusicReview editor, Bret Dugmore, yesterday. We were chatting about the current state of rock and alternative music, and we both agreed that we’re noticing a lot more bands tinkering with genre fusion and the addition of non-traditional rock instruments into their sound. Then, boom! I put on Guts n’ Teeth, which is the embodiment of everything we discussed. Before I receive a hundred emails about how the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly have already done a similar thing for over a decade, hear me out: Guts n’ Teeth is different. Why? Because it’s a really novel sound, much like when The Gaslight Anthem popped up on the scene. I mean, really, when’s the last time you heard a bluegrass punk band in 2011?
Notice how I said bluegrass first? Instead of throwing in a few bluegrass influences to mask a predominant punk sound, Old Man Markley have actually done the opposite – they’re a bluegrass band, first and foremost, with traces of punk! Don’t believe me? Well, these are the instruments used in their sound: guitar, bass, drums, autoharp, washboard, fiddle, mandolin and banjo. Between the 8 instrumentalists, the vocal duties are shared between 4 of the members, with Johnny Carey being the only lead singer. It actually works out very well, especially on the saloon-fighting number titled ‘Do Me Like You Do’ – I felt like smashing a barstool over Bret’s head after hearing this track (did I say that out loud?).
In terms of freshness, Guts n’ Teeth deserves full marks. Nevertheless, I understand that not everyone will be a fan of a skanking hoedown. If you detest bluegrass or country influences, the hints of punk might not be enough to garner your overall interest. Nonetheless, I have to share my absolute favourite line, which appears on ‘Lowdown Blues’: “Every side I wake up on is the wrong side of the bed.” Yeehaw!
Best Tracks: ‘Running Weight’, ‘Do Me Like You Do’, and ‘Lowdown Blues’
80/100

Alex Z - Mandolin
Annie - Autoharp, Vocals
Aaron Higgins - Drums
Joey - Bass, Vocals
John - Banjo, Vocals
Johnny - Vocals, Guitar
Katie - Fiddle
Ryan - Washboard