Casino Rumblers - See HowIt's Gonna End...

Wed 5th Jul, 2006 in Music Reviews

It’s been a long time coming – since the first time I saw (or even heard of, for that matter) the Casino Rumblers – but it was well worth the wait. The debut album – See How It’s Gonna End – is chock-a-block full of your usual billies and then some. Rocka, Psycho, Skanka, Chunka. Ok so most of them aren’t real genres but every aspect of this release absolutely brings those adjectives to mind.

There’s a bunch of favourites in there, all recognisable from their live sets – of which, I’m sure if you live in Sydney, you would have seen at least one. Their touring lives have been quite extensive, which I’m sure is why this LP has been so long in blinking its baby eyes at daylight.

Starting with ‘It’s the Life’, it destroys any pre-concepts I had of easing myself into the LP. Straight up, there’s a complete rolling together of all aspects, sounds and styles of the band. A ‘rumbling’ bass line, riffing guitar and a cacophony of horns mixed in with ease and expertise that can be accredited to the co-production of ska great Pete Cooper of the Porkers. The quality of sound and energy squeezed out of this recording is fabulous and does a very good job of replicating what these guys have to offer from a live perspective.

Unfortunately it’s not all good news. Every track rings of greatness aside from one very small diversion. ‘Don’t Pay the Ferryman’ that completely threw me on first listen. I thought my cd player had skipped at random, to a Best of Pub Anthems album. The lyrics don’t fit the music, the music is mediocre at best and it’s painful to listen to. It’s best skipped over to the angry rolls of ‘25 Years’ that puts you back into the right frame of mind to lead up to the favourite and ever catchy ‘Smoked City’. The growled vocals of Dave Bean mixed in with the easily recognisable back up vocals of Paul O’Connor gets that /Smoked City, Smoked City/ chant singing to yourself over and over in your subconscious for hours.

A definite recommendation to those of you that are in the mood to have your ears tested, your feet itching and possibly trying to categorise it to your mates. You’ll have Dave to reckon with if you try. Go on. I dare ya!