TAKER – Sons And Daughters
TAKER is a veritable Buffalo supergroup – featuring members of Violent Way, Corvo, Healer, They Live, Big Dog, Big School, Green Slime, Candy and more, their uncompromising brand of oi and punk rock needs little introduction or explanation. On new album, an eleven-song barnburner called Sons and Daughters, TAKER takes cues from The Ramones, The Misfits, and… Guided By Voices? Yeah, you read that right – this will more than likely be our only time mentioning oi and GBV in the same sentence, but hey, there’s a first (and probably last) time for everything. At any rate, the album is fast, ferocious, and energizing… And that’s why we’ve decided it’s our Album of the Week this week.
The album opens with the palm muted onslaught of “Reach Out” – an excellent introduction to TAKER’s stylings. The guitars do a lot of heavy lifting here, thundering overtop rolling tom beats. The Ramones-esque vocals are a particular highlight, tailor-made for mosh pit singalongs, preferably hosted in a sweaty Tonawanda basement. At a fleeting 1:57, “Reach Out” exists exactly how it needs to – a swift, but welcome punch to the face. Song two gets our nod for album favorite; “For You” is punk through-and-through, but also explores pop melody territory, with a supremely hooky guitar riff and lots of shout-your-heart-out vocals. The ultra-thick guitar tones and fuzzed-out bass here are impossible not to sink your teeth into… Who ever said oi can’t be catchy?
Some particular songs of note include an excellent cover of “Game of Pricks” by Guided By Voices – TAKER trades GBV’s direct-to-tape vibe for a full-throated guitar approach. TAKER’s version comes complete with a reimagined intro and vocals that stay true to the original. On paper, it certainly seems like it would be an album outlier, but it blends in surprisingly well with the rest of the album’s overall vibe – though this one’s mouthfeel is a bit less Ramones and a bit more Archers of Loaf. Same goes for the ruthless “Boots” which features a guest vocal from noted oi contemporary Jenny Woo. Jenny’s snarling delivery rips through the mix like a jagged knife, juxtaposed nicely against the otherwise rhythmic, barking vocals found on “Boots.” In a genre that’s more known for its solidarity than its innovation, it’s really fun to see TAKER taking chances and making fun choices. It keeps this album feeling fresh and modern, even if it harkens back to tried-and-true punk songwriting and delivery.
Elsewhere, TAKER dives deep into skate punk territory. Throw on “No Score” or “Big Step” and it’s not hard to imagine yourself playing a THPS game from 25 years ago. “Town,” too, is a wild ride with a super tough intro – devolving into bass sludge and eventually re-evolving into something that feels like it almost yearns. By the time you make it through the piano-laced closer “Big Divider,” you might feel like you’ve been kicked in the teeth… But, like, in a good way.
Sons and Daughters is out now, including a European release via Contra records – check it out via the bandcamp embed below, or, visit their Linktree for merch and streaming options.
Categorised in: Album of the Week
This post was written by Nick Sessanna