Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Old Town Crier, Independent 2022.
Old Town Crier is multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jim Lough from Massachusetts USA, and he has released this very good five track EP as a fundraiser with all proceeds to go to nominated moderates who are running for election in the up-coming US mid-term elections.
Those nominees are Christine Olivo, Jason Call, and Melanie D’Arrigo.
The title track is great blast of in-your-face rock’n’roll aimed at the very people that Jim wants to unseat come voting time.
“You say what you wanna say, you toe the party line, and the money always comes on time, you sold us for a song, you don’t know right from wrong… now it’s gonna come back to you.”
This is an outstanding track that reminds me of Elvis Costello at his best; there’s also a bit of The Clash in there too.
The second track Thin Blue line is another fantastic song.
“There’s a thin blue line between yours and mine, there’s a thin blue line between the law and crime, There’s a thin blue line between hate and fear, that thin blue line has never been so clear.”
Jim has strong opinions; he’s determined to have his say and he’s got a trio of incumbent Republicans in his sights.
Jim Lough is an activist but he’s also a wonderful songwriter and when the two are combined the outcome is impressive.
This EP is worth buying just for the songs let alone the proactive and principled position Jim has taken to make a difference, no matter how small, in the up-coming election.
The title track, You, was recorded live at The Fallout Shelter in Massachusetts, making it particularly impressive.
The band, consisting of Alex Bilodeau on bass, Avery Logan on drums, Garrett Jones on guitar, JennHwan Wong on keys, Stephan Byth on sax, and Jim on vocals, is impressively tight and put out a hard driving sound.
The album costs $US5 and is available through Bandcamp.
