Reibenbach Records, 2008
If the front cover didn’t contain three guys in jeans and black t-shirts I would’ve most certainly passed on this record. What exactly IS that they are walking on? It ain’t no yellow brick road. Without the three guys I would’ve gone with from the hip judgment of a self-released solo artist vehicle with fay vocals and tepid songs. Nope, I figure that with one of them pointing high towards a palm tree and the general unkempt vibe from their, ah, hairstyles I thought the Coke Dares had a chance to go loud. I was right.
The Coke Dares sound as if they broke into a studio, banged out 33 songs, and were in a hurry to get their gear out of there before the studio owner caught them. Yeah, you read that right: 33 songs. Most of them are starts of an idea that end quickly mainly due to the idea running out of steam. To put it another way, the song would lose its abrasive impact if it carried on for anything longer than a few minutes. Sometimes you can tell when a band is just hanging on to something that was never there, so the Coke Dares cut the cord themselves before anyone gets too bored. It makes for a fervent listen, but if that purpose of brevity was the basis behind the quick song exits then I applaud them. Too bad they can’t hear me through the raucous.
There’s some really fun tunes on here, even if you can’t confirm much of what the guys are trying to say. “There’s a Meth Lab On My Street” is less than thirty seconds of quick punk and unfortunate neighborhood situations. A great rush that could have extended beyond its 28 seconds is “Radiator Hose” given its group-sung chorus, but the Coke Dares were done with it while I was getting into it. On one of the few tracks one can actually hear with some clarity, the observation of “Some say I look like Ronald McDonald … with a beard” on “Ronald McDonald” adds a bit of levity amidst the blitzkrieg of rock.
The longest song, “Sleeping With Someone Else’s Girlfriend”, makes it past the two minute mark. This song was deemed important enough to stick around for a whole 129 seconds, which is either due to the subject matter (eep) or because these guys enjoyed the slower, jangling rock pace of it. Actually, perhaps it’s because it took the lead singer a long time to count to 6 during the song. Hey, you don’t have to know how to count quickly to be in a rock band, folks.
I think this video sums up the fun these guys could be when seen live:
I like “Feelin’ Up” for what it is, but it’s not necessarily something I’d pop in often. It’s great for multiple bursts of quick and jagged songs with fluctuating tempos, so perhaps when one is in a busy mood one might find the record handy. Given its penchant for thirty second tracks, one could also use it as a musical timer for those activities or games with the kids. For instance, instead of counting to 21 during Hide and Seek have the seeker wait until “Everybody’s Got Some Time to Die Unless You’re a Zombie” is finished playing. Thanks, Coke Dares!
Rummaging Through the Dollar Bin 