Every person I know has that one band that they really like, that one band that they are convinced of that can never write a bad song or play a crappy show, for some of my friends that’s Metallica… Boy, where they wrong… For me, one of those bands is Everymen, from Lake Worth, Florida.

I still remember hearing them for the first time at Muddy Roots some years ago, I was deep in a conversation about nothing with some friends, thinking how I should go see them, but we just kept yepping on, and when I finally got on my feet the show was over. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!! But I caught up, oh how I caught up… When they came to Europe I tried to catch as many shows I could and hosted them at our annual benefit show for ex-lab dogs. What a great show that was. So now there is the new album with the very inspiring tittle “May your ashes have stories to tell”.

On this new album the guys hold on to their own brand of catchy as hell “folk punk”, I know some people like to make fun of the “term” but I have no idea how to describe it otherwise. But they made sure to throw in some curve-balls here and there and add some extra instruments in the studio, like that trumpet in the opening song “Shake Your Bones”. Starting out with a mariachi like guitar part and by adding the trumpets it really sounds like some kind of Mexican upbeat protest song (sung in English) or something like that… It’s hard to come up with new words guys… Deal with it… It’s a compelling song, that’s for sure!

If you have been following the band and it’s members on-line (facebook), you know they had to deal with some losses over the past years and even more recent. The second song “Dead Friends” is a stunning tribute to the ones we lost and cared about deeply. I’m sure many of you will find comfort and understanding in this song. And “Dead Friends” is not the only tribute on this record. Last year friend of the band and singer for Mischief Brew, Erik Petersen took his own life, a sad day in music history if you ask me (what an great band that was), and with the song bearing the same name as the band Erik was in, Everymen have created a beautiful hymn for their friend. A short and fast, almost Street Punk like sing-a-long for their fallen comrade. Nothing but respect for this one!

“Don’t Rain On My Parade”, the longest song on the record is a typical Everymen song, starting out slow and transforming into “an ideal for pushing your friends around on the dance-floor song” with room for each member of the band to show his musical skills and then towards the end that polka-like rhythm… Perfect… Just perfect!
I don’t know why they re-recorded “Waking up Hurts”, but I’m not sad about it. It still is a great song. (guys if you are reading this, let me know)

If you like your punk more then your folk, you will love these two song: “Annihilation” and “Time”. In my head I can hear them being played by a full on drunk crappy punk band and even then they don’t loose any power. Absolute flawless songs. Start dancing now!
With “Don’t Stay” the band goes in full gypsy-mode. The fiddle, the rhythm, the female vocals, they all contribute to a certain feeling, an east-European post-romantic feel that all together make it into a marvelous song.

I’m sure you figured out I like this new record… And I know you will like it.
The release is planned for april 22nd on http://www.say-10.com so you know what to do…