CD Review: WALKING PAPERS – Walking Papers

Label: Loud & Proud Records

Release Date: August 6, 2013

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “ToddStar” Jolicoeur

I have never been nor remotely considered myself a grunge fan, but lately there seems to be a few bands reviving the genre and putting a straight up rock twist on it.  The debut from Walking Papers is a perfect example of this.  “Already Dead” kicks the disc off in the right direction.  The guitar work plays nicely with the vocals and the rich rhythm section.  The moody rocker anchors itself in the bottom heavy sound of the track.  “Whole World’s Watching” comes along and turns the dial up a bit in sound and energy.  The drums seem to come alive, as does the lead guitar track.  The song jumps from the speakers and really gets the foot tapping.  “Your Secret’s Safe With Me” opens with a sexy bass line that is stroked nicely by the guitar riffs that accompany it.  The vocals kick in and give the song an edge that adds a little depth to the track.  “Red Envelopes” opens with a fuzzy guitar line that is enhanced by the drums and organ/keyboards.  The addition of horns to this track really demonstrate the ability of this band to create music outside of the proverbial box.  “Leave Me In The Dark” brings the energy down a bit, but loses nothing in the shift.  The vocals are emotive and are enhanced beautifully by the guitars and tribal drums.  The song really stands out on the disc.  “The Butcher” is one of the darker songs I have heard in a long time, while sounding like an earthy ballad.  The use of the vocals paired up with the almost carnival-style track really take this track to a different level.  The lyrical content is abstract, but glues the piece together.

“Two Tickets and a Room” has a riff that chugs nicely against the drums and bass line.  The vocals stop by and soon you feel like you are in the company of an old friend.  The laid back nature of the track keeps the song earthy and cool, while not taking itself to serious.  “I’ll Stick Around” starts off like a cool fusion style track, but soon the rock undertones rear their head and this song really takes hold.  The rhythm section, along with the keyboards give this one of the coolest grooves on the disc and makes this one of the better tracks on the disc.  “Capital T” is a funky-bluesy rocker that has all the fun elements of a killer rock track that is meant to take you for a casual ride.  The guitar riffs are full, the bass line glides along with the drums, and the vocals and keyboards coat this with cool with a Capital C.  “A Place Like This” features an opening unlike other tracks on the disc.  The use of instruments not typically found on a rock record really gives this song a different feel, while keeping the rock vibe intact.  The vocals really take this song to another level with their simplistic, yet emotional, telling of a story.  “Independence Day” closes the disc, but leaves the listener wanting more.  The bass line comes charging at you while the drums keep time.  The guitars kick in along with the earthy vocals and give you a complete track that really gives you a great ending to a disc that immediately prompts you to kick it back to the beginning and give it another listen through.  If you get the chance, do yourself a favor and pick up the deluxe edition with four bonus live tracks: “Already Dead,” “Two Tickets And A Room,” “Leave Me In The Dark,” and “The Whole World’s Watching.”  These tracks come across just as good live as they do in the studio.

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Category: CD Reviews