Say-10 Records – 17 Nov 2023
Reinventing Against Me!
There are few things as timeless as rock n’ roll, fads come and go, musical tastes ebb and flow, and yet somehow the guitar driven wheel is resistant to reinvention. But Richmond Virginia’s 40 Reps does their best to carry the torch of their predecessors while paying homage to those that came before them, adding their own spin on the contemporary, pushing through the present with respect to the past. One thing’s for certain, all great songwriters are sentimental storytellers in tune with their emotional innards and Heads Up showcases those sentiments with a pinch of punk proclivity and a splash of southern charm.
The quartet hits the ground running with title track “Heads Up,” pounding the pavement with hints of Hot Water Music and a slight New Junk City meets Springsteen slant. The first thing that grabs you by the raspy throat is the grittiness of the vocal delivery. It’s like a Marlboro meatloaf washed down with a razor blade milkshake and makes me hungry for more. Thankfully they’re just getting started, leading into “Looking For Trouble” which opens with a few octaves and harmonized lead lines that lunge into a staccato chorus. Cobra Skulls? Overall, I’d say the leads do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of crafting sonic character but, lyrically, I’m starting to get the sense that these songs are easily relatable. “Small Town Blues” and its subject matter is something I can certainly relate to. Alternating between a down beat and an and dance beat it’s a little like The Copyrights and lives up to its namesake while “Hard Habits” creates a sense of deja vu as they slow things slightly with a down tempo little ditty. Littered with palm mutes, power chords, and adequate stylistic accents it feels inspired by Laura Jane Grace and now I’m emotionally invested. Will you be my vocal valentine?
“Nail & Tooth,” most likely my favorite, feels a little like the verse and chorus were inverted and I’m digging the juxtaposition, the drawn out vocal gives me goosebumps. Slinging another straightforward solo, this is a marathon, not a sprint and there’s no need to overdo it, sometimes simplicity and perseverance just work! “Judy” on the other hand is a bit of a outcast. It’s anything but bad though this alt rock ripper has me hearing Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” (Gasp!) and might just be the bastard child of the bunch.
Thankfully, I get a dose of naughty nostalgia from “White Picket Fence”, it’s like “Fat Bottom Girls” for a new generation and the backing vocals are an unexpected yet welcome surprise. It’s like Lynyrd Skynyrd covering Queen and the amusement park ain’t closing any time soon! “Tethers” takes me on a roller coaster ride of fluctuating intensity before leading into “Hotel Lobby,” another addition to the long list of tales from a hopeless romantic and seems sonically similar to something from The Holy Mess. It’s another standout, really radio friendly, and catchy as hell. As I exit the funhouse I get one last look in the mirror as “Havana Cha Cha” comes as a clever curiosity, an interesting instrumental outro. Maybe it’s a bit of comic relief from an emotionally charged track list or maybe it’s just the introduction to the next batch of unreleased bangers? To be continued… fingers crossed!
Even from the first listen, everything feels familiar like I’ve somehow been here before. It’s like they chose the best bits from each and every era and created something shiny and new. Lyrically focused with the lead guitar doing a lot of the leg work, it has all the staple sounds of a solid contemporary punk rock record. Vocally, there’s a quaint level of character and provides an impeccable narration to the stories contained within. The guitars are complimentary, the bass is a solid backbone, and the rhythm section rounds out the offering, adding just what each song needs when and where it needs it. The report card reads “Plays well with others.” Just gimme more of those beautiful backing vocals! All in all, I find myself playing through the album in its entirety and starting again from the beginning. There’s just something alluring and magnetic about it that I can’t quite put my finger on but, either way, If I had a third thumb, I’d give it three thumbs up!
Find more 40 Reps at their Linktree page
Jerred Lazar is a make believe musician and wannabe writer attempting to survive in Washington DC
