Booze & Glory – As Bold As Brass

Booze & Glory
As Bold As Brass
Sailor’s Grave Records
★★★

Booze & Glory may be some of the best Oi! punk music you will listen to this decade. That may not be too difficult to land being there has not been a dominant Oi! scene since the late ‘70s. But that’s where their hearts are, and you cannot fault wanting to sound like the purveyors of the scene. I mean, who wouldn’t want to sound like The Angelic Upstarts, Cock Sparrer, or Peter and the Test Tube Babies. I would give two arms to have that stance, and Booze & Glory carry that demeanor.

As Bold As Brass will not disappoint the crusty old punks as well as the Dropkick Murphy fans. And it certainly will not disappoint fans of both eras because you have to be to engage the scene to fully appreciate this album.

Coming out of London, there’s a kindred spirit to be had of the old stompin’ grounds, the power punk riffs, and the unification in anthemic lyrical ale sloshes proving sing alongs to rise above it all.

“Off We Go!” is a galloping romp. Eternal youth and a fleeting feeling of power as the kids gather round to sing along in a round of brews that light up the night. “Oi! Oi! Off we go!” How much more infectious can you get?

Booze & Glory – Only Fools Get Caught

“Waiting For Tomorrow” an introspective driving punk song that amplifies the honesty this band carries on their sleeve. The thick English accent blurted out helps accentuate culture and the working class lifestyle of urbanization that continues to get a kick in the balls. “Keep the faith and wait until tomorrow.” It’s all we really have in life.

Respect! That’s what this band needs to exist. “I might be young, but I still deserve your respect,” they say at the beginning of “Leave The Kids Alone.” Life on the streets is not easy, and these lyrics reflect that difficulty, but like a great Rancid tale of the East Bay, Booze & Glory gives us a great snapshot of London street life; heartbreaking, defiant, this song is not just a symbol of consolation but also a threat. “Fuck yourself and leave the kids alone.”

For Booze & Glory, the kids are just fine. The English punk community still fuels the glue, and it’s been an important role in the Oi! scene. “We’ll Stick Together” is all about that. Drinking in the streets, fighting in the bar, fuck all because all we have is the moment. The song does not profess immediacy, but it does show us that need this band to remind us of the good times, the bad, and that life is what you make it.