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8 out of 10
My first real musical encounter with Smoking Popes was with the release of Duvall's "Volume & Destiny" album released through Asian Man Records. The band contained (Then) ex-Smoking Popes members Josh Caterer & Eli Dixon Caterer. Whilst I'd heard the name Smoking Popes I had never heard their music, so what you won't get in this review is a lot of comparisons to older material, but what you will get is a fresh set of ears!
Newly reformed after nearly ten years "Stay Down" is Smoking Popes' first new material since 1997's "Destination Failure", so has the break reinvigorated the band and made them produce the best album of their careers?
Well, it's a bloody solid attempt.
What really attracted me to Duvall was Josh's voice, it's very clear, he can really sing and he's very distinctive in a positive way. The songs Josh writes are never math-rock, experimental chop-change head fucks, but straight down the line punk influenced pop, and this continues on "Stay Down".
The production is a little sloppy in places with drums sounding a bit hit and miss on occasion (Especially the high-hat cymbals), but on the whole the album succeeds more than it fails. Catchy choruses such as that of "Welcome To Janesville", "If You Don’t Care" and "Maybe I’ll Stay" spark the sing-along good times you need in an album like this and the input of "It’s Never Too Late (For Love)" and "The Corner" mix it up with the slow-burner vibes they cast upon the listener.
Many people were waiting for the Smoking Popes to return, hell there was even a tribute CD released in 2003 with acts like The Ataris, Grade, Junction 18 and Bad Astronaut, and I think "Stay Down" is the album they were hoping for.
Listen: www.myspace.com/smokingpopes
Tracklist:
1. Welcome To Janesville
2. If You Don’t Care
3. Stefanie
4. Sweet Pea
5. Little Jane-Marie
6. The Corner
7. Stay Down
8. Grab Your Heart And Run
9. It’s Never Too Late (For Love)
10. Maybe I’ll Stay
11. Into The Summer Sky
12. First Time
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