In the Court of Let’s Wrestle
By Eric Chavez
When it comes to British rockers, they just seem to do it better. The Beatles, Bowie, The Clash, Led Zepplin … the list could go on. In America, rock “music” tends to be nothing but background music for your local teen clothing store, and popular acts such as Boys Like Girls, Fall Out Boy, and Good Charlotte aren’t breaking any new rocky ground. With that said, Let’s Wrestle are adding a little bit of their British beats to the sometimes dry world of rock.
The In the Court of Let’s Wrestle record spins the sound of strong songs with killer bass lines and honest lyrics. “My Arms Don’t Bend that Way, Damn It” blasts the boys into the musical world where time doesn’t exists. All their influences, from David Bowie to Buddy Holly, show up in here, and luckily the throwaway-punk/rock of today casts not even a shadow on their sound.
“It’s Not Going to Happen” sounds like a mix of The Clash and The Beach Boys: fun and fierce. One thing can be said about this group – they love what they do, but don’t take themselves too seriously. Interestingly enough, the group’s humor on this song and more echo that of John Lennon. Dry, at times random, but always able to put a smile on your face. “Diana’s Hair,” in which they sing “Eleven years ago, a princess died. And the wounds are still there. But I found a way to get over it. I found a friend with Diana’s hair”
The band does crumble some. “I Won’t Lie To You” tries a bit too hard to follow the footsteps of those before them, losing some of themselves in the translation. The track does have its moments, but overall feels out of place on the album. “I’m in Fighting Mode” is as mellow as the group gets, but gets lost along the way. And “My Schedule,” perhaps the darkest track on the disc, has an amusing story-song theme, making up for its unnecessary gloom groove.
Sweetening things but a bit is “In Dreams.” It’s hard to believe the group could make a “cute” song in the sea of punk, but lo and behold, “In Dreams” delivers a sweet ’50s-inspired love song in contrast to the album’s overall theme of heated punk. Think of it as the “cool down.”
By the end of the session, the music remains quite, rough and dusty, yet surprisingly fresh, Let’s Wrestle do the almost impossible task of combining pop with rock while still making a believable indie record. This post-punk revival may just successfully bring true punk back. No more of this tween-candy rock, please! Let’s Wrestle throw some much-needed rumble in the rhythm. At the end of this match, Let’s Wrestle wins the round.
Let’s Wrestle join Quasi at 529 on April 27. Tickets are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.
