“strike”
The Strike
Shots Heard ‘Round The World
Victory
I’m glad I was the lucky person who got to review this album, because if I just saw the cover art, I’d never even think about picking it up, much less listening to it. From the looks of the cover, Shots Heard ‘Round The World seem like one more album in the line of serious, hardcore political punk albums. There’s more to The Strike than that, though. This band has a distinct style that sets them apart from the rest. It’s like The Dropkick Murphys meet Less Than Jake: serious, intelligent lyrics with a working class theme wed harmoniously with the sax, trumpet, and harmonica. Their song “Communique” is the perfect example. The lyrics suggest communism (“We workers gotta have our way/ The bosses we must disobey/ Turn this town/ into a crimson red display…”), yet the entire song is carried on a melodic tune, especially the chorus (“Together in union, we will fight, carryon!”), which is backed by horns that harmonize (almost strangely, but successfully) with the song’s political nature. This is a band to which you will want to pay attention.
Victory Records, PO BOX 146546, Chicago, IL 60614 www.victoryrecords.com
