The Ramshackle Army tell a story with their upcoming release, "Letters From The Road Less Travelled"

Hey everybody!

I am here today give exposure to a really amazing punk rock and folk outfit from Australia called the Ramshackle Army.  Now before I go farther, I want you think back two years and  remember when Boston's own, Dropkick Murphys took this band out on tour for their St. Patricks Day weekend! The Boston area should certainly be familiar with them opening for night one of the Dropkick Murphys at the House of Blues plus performing at President's Rock Club in Quincy, MA.  Anyways, these punk rockers from Australia are back and are ready to make another stamp with their upcoming release, "Letters From The Road Less Travelled" coming out on East Grand Record Co. in Michigan.  For those who are not too familiar, keep reading because this album is something you do not want want to miss.  The band combines an amazing energy of punk rock and folk yet nothing you have seen before.  The Ramshackle Army go above and beyond in pushing the limits of their sound.

After an accordion filled Intro, the band hops right into "Anchors Aweigh" which is an upbeat tune with a folkier edge to it.  Lead vocalist and song-writer Gaz has a tendency to sing and write his songs in a story telling format.  The upside to that is it keeps the listener interested in the lyrics and will perhaps go into the lyric book and follow along.  The following track, "Coffin & Copper" is certainly another story teller as well and is a song about travels which happens to be a recurring theme on this album.  Many other subjects include songs of laboring and work such as "Boilermaker" which is a personal favorite of mine.  Work is a part of everyday life, so why not write about it?

I would say the biggest difference between this album and some of their previous releases is like I said earlier, their sound has expanded.  They still have the punk rock edge but also have a huge emphasis on the folk and traditional music type stamp. With that style, this album could appeal to people of all ages much like bands such as Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly do.  The Dropkick's certainly did right by taking these guys out on tour a couple years back.  The title track, "Road Less Travelled" talks quite a bit about the travels they have been on to get where they are today.  As everyone knows, there is no getting by in this business without hard work and dedication.  Songs such as "Broken Town" and "Locked Down" give off more of a punk rock feel yet with a down trodden story.  Toward the tail end of the album, songs such as "Drink It Dry" have a mid tempo feel as does"Skin Will Burn" but speeds up.  The second to last track, "Signs Of Rain"is a slower start of a track the band clearly took their time on writing and recording.  Like many of the other tracks, the band really went and turned it into a mid temp tune. Some might say this is a redundant formula but it is clear that they stick to what they know when it comes to their writing. The last track, "One Tree Hill" may be the catchiest of them all with the perfect mix of guitars, banjo and all around musicianship.

"Letters From The Road Less Travelled" out February 18th

Overall, "The Road Less Travelled" by the Ramshackle Army is a great album which shows how much the band as stepped up to the challenge to step out of their musical comfort zone.  As noted earlier, this album is perfect for a crowd of all ages.  From the older crowd who may appreciate the traditional folk elements, and the younger crowd that has a knack for the punk rock type of songs.  Be warned though, if you are expecting a Dropkick Murphys or Flogging Molly carbon copy, please think twice because the Ramshackle Army are on a quest of their own!

Album out February 18th on East Grand Record Co.

Band/Label Info:

The Ramshackle Army Facebook
East Grand Record Co. Facebook