Review Summary: "Don't call me ska, whitey!"
Preface:
Ska punk is my favorite genre. Wait! Don't leave. Bear with me. It isn't my favorite genre because every time I listen to it, I am blown away. (I certainly am not.) It isn't because of its bizarre and fascinating evolution from the original ska of Jamaica to the two tone ska of England and beyond. It isn't because of its overall versatility. It is my favorite genre because in a genre ruled almost completely by mediocrity/sh*ttiness and bands that started off with well enough intentions and just don't know when to quit (I'm looking at you Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish) bands like Streetlight Manifesto, Choking Victim, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Aquabats, and The Suicide Machines used ska punk as their musical vehicle of choice. Hell, even Mr. Bungle's self-titled album was extraordinarily influenced by it. And every time I think I am done with any new discoveries the genre may throw my way, I find something that commands my attention (I just recently finished up Bomb the Music Industry!'s stellar discography).
It's almost as if the songwriters of these bands saw something in ska punk that others did not. They saw that despite skaP's ridiculous overexposure, it was a fertile land to grow their masterpieces. They took a genre that should have died long ago, and created the superior music of their time. This action is what makes ska punk my favorite genre. It proves my firm belief that the genre of music has nothing to do with the music's quality. Good music (and sh*t music) can and does exist in all genres. The quality always relies on the songwriter.
The Review:
Pain is not a ska band (nor are they a foreign industrial band). Was that not clear? Pain is an eight piece punk band from Mobile and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Midgets With Guns is their magnum opus. With a horn section that would sound right at home in any first rate marching band and Pain's sharp punk rock edge, it isn't exactly a crime against humanity to mislabel Pain as a ska band. Just don't let their singer, Dan Lord, hear you.
As many genres as the band tackles over their career and especially this album, Dan's frustration at the label is well justified though. Their guitarist, Adam Guthrie, who for the most part sounds like he may be more comfortable in a 90s thrash outfit, like Suicidal Tendencies, probably doesn't feel too proud when people label his maximum riffage as "ska" either. Ska was of course at the peak of its overexposure when Pain was in their prime. This is probably the main reason you've never heard of this band. Pain got lost in the shuffle of a genre they were never even a part of.
Pain, for the most part, actually did not call any particular genre home. Midgets With Guns finds influence in numerous styles of music. It is not as if the band are extreme genre jumpers, but they definitely have an approach that cannot be easily labeled. As mentioned before, the guitar here has a tendency to be much more riff focused than most punk outfits. There is also a presence of keyboard whose effects span a wide array of sounds. Some of these sounds may be a turn off for some listeners, because at times it can sound as if this keyboard was bought at a thrift shop a few hours before this was recorded. More astute listeners still though should be able to recognize Pain's campiness (while it isn't always present) is very much intended.
This campiness can also be found in Dan's lyrics as he sings about Dungeons and Dragons, getting bullied in school, and believing he could win the heart of a one-legged girl if only he were as cool as Ash from the Evil Dead series. Don't underestimate his prowess though, for closer examinations of his chosen themes quickly proves him to be a formidable and sometimes extremely dark storyteller.
In fact, in many ways, despite this album's overall upbeat feel, the majority of the lyrical themes tend to deal with Dan's insecurities, short comings, and sometimes borders out right self-hatred. My personal favorite track here fades out with the vocals cheering on derision, indecision, and failure while gang backup vocals eerily chant "nanana na-na-na" the way you would hear on an unforgiving elementary school playground. Once again, Pain's campiness is somewhat present here, but with multiple listens this song can become a haunting experience that may send you back to public school feelings of inadequacy.
The settings that these tracks seem to build are incredibly dense throughout. A revenge song of a terrorist killing a group of two bit gangsters to avenge his brother is certainly one of the strongest examples of Dan's fantastic story telling. The band does an incredible job of setting the atmosphere here as well. The Middle Eastern feel is undeniably present without being overbearing. "Chuck Al-Hashib" also houses one of the greatest bass lines of the 90s. Pain's bassist, Mark "Pose" Milewicz, is certainly an unknown force to be reckoned with. He walks up and down his fret board as if he were Chuck himself, wandering through the desert. Wandering, but aware, and with a clear goal in mind.
All things considered, this album is an almost essential listen. It is a musical pillar of unique versatility that flew under far too many radars. It may not appease everyone in the same way, but Pain's sound is one that I have yet to hear duplicated.
Death recz:
Derision (My personal favorite)
Chuck Al-Hashib (May be the best example of Pain's sound overall)
The People, The People
Fight (Everybody loves to!)
Milk
Square Pegs
(All the other stuff too)
