Farrell Bros - This Is A Riot

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 21 / 1 / 2006

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Review

The Farrell Brothers are, as the name suggests real life brothers. Not like the Ramones, these guys actually had the same surname before they formed the band. Well the two founding members, Gordie and Shawn have and they have been through various other band members, currently listing Nuke Norval, (cruel parents there), as their rhythm keeping drummer. They hail from the not very big town of Selkirk, Manitoba. For those not familiar with Manitoba, Selkirk is not a big place. And for those not familiar with Canada, Manitoba is very, very flat, and not home to a great deal at all, very friendly though. I’m not going to stoop as low as to make a joke about the fact that a small town band is bound to consist of family members. Well, okay, maybe I did just then. The Farrell Brothers are, however, very good. They don’t just play punk music with a little hint of a 1950’s sound. It is more the other way. They play songs that sound almost folk like, but with a 1950’s feel. Only instead of just ripping various old bands off, it is delivered in a much more modern sounding way. They start the album with the title track 'This is a Riot' which is a pretty straight-forward rockabilly sounding song about, well, rioting. It is not the most original sounding collection of songs, but it could be said that the rockabilly genre is quite a limitied genre as a past decade and past bands mainly influence it. Also the type of sounds that make a band “Rockabilly” make it quite limiting. After all without a stand up bass are you really rockabilly ? Luckily every song does not sound the same. That is not to say that any of the songs are bad, just that they all just don’t sound the same. 'Chains", one of the more rocking songs on the compilation with its driving drum and beat, is a dirty Iggy and the Stooges style song. 'Heisted Girl' sounds like the soundtrack to a visit to the band's small home town. It is very dark sounding and wouldn’t sound out of place in a western film. 'Fight' is pure punk rock fun, keeping it very simple with a sing a long chorus bound to be a live favourite. It is clear that this is very fun band, and they must be even more of a spectacle live. Try your best to catch them when they tour England in the next few months. I’m off to work on my Fifties hair do courtesy of the band's very own brand of pomade. Yes that is how rockabilly they are.

Track Listing:-

1 This Is A Riot!
2 R.E.B.E.L.
3 Let's Face It
4 Wink
5 Burning Desire
6 Chains
7 Heisted Girl
8 Old Glory
9 Fight
10 Kristy
11 Rocker Panel
12 It's Allright Tonight