As you may have come to expect, Thumper Punk helps promote Christ-centred punk bands. Their latest offering is the working class punks, The Lonely Revolts, from Salinas, California. Their name is inspired by the feeling that they are caught in the crossfire between two aspects of world views and stand as lonely revolutionaries to uphold the oppressed.
Their sound is influenced by Crash Dog, The Ramones, Swingin’ Utters and Motorhead. There is an unashamed approach that proclaims the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. They state that “ ‘Remnant’ hits you with a message of revolutionary love and encouragement from down-to-earth men who earnestly seek and love the Lord. Be prepared to join this lonely revolution, where you will never feel alone again. Join the good fight.” The songs are in keeping with punk tradition, in that they are short and sharp, with a no-nonsense lyrical approach. And the vocals have a raw-throated and shouty attack.
I thought that ‘To Warn The Lukewarm’ would be yet another rant about the spiritually indecisive, but it actually takes a hard look at how HIV-positive people are treated with the same stigma as the leprosy sufferers in the middle ages. It reminds us that Jesus took time to be with those who suffered from all different kinds of ailments and never turned his back on anyone.
There is spitting fury at high jobless rates (You Don’t Represent Me) and the ineffectual efforts of politicians (The Same Old Same Old). It is also interspersed with declarations of faith (I Am Who I Am) as well as a reminder that the church used to be a significant force in fighting for civil rights (The Revolt Is Forming). In fact the church needs to be reminded of a few basic facts that it once stood for. That would be the relief of poverty, the advancement of education and religion, and other purposes considered beneficial to the community.
Besides the rampaging punk, there is the slower ‘Working Class Bailout’ with “Everybody’s living from paycheck to paycheck / but what if there was more to this living than debt / there’s gotta be more to this struggle / cause everyday feels like a battle/ so let’s go”. It is followed by the smouldering ‘The Day the Clouds Part’ taking on a theme from Revelations regarding tribulations and the end-times. They finish with another biblical theme ‘Bride To Be’ about the return of Christ.
Rating: 7/10
Reviewed by Peter John Willoughby
Tracklist:
1. To Warn the Lukewarm
2. You Don’t Represent Me
3. I Am Who I Am
4. Lightning from the East
5. The Same Old Same Old
6. Peace and Safety
7. The W.T.L.
8. The Good Fight
9. Working Class Bailout
10. The Day the Clouds Part
11. The Revolt Is Forming
12. Bride to Be
Band Members:
Josh Galvan – Guitar & vocals
Lupe Gutierrez – Bass and vocals
Chip Fratangelo – Drums
Record Label: Thumper Punk Records, 2012
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Video below: Working Class Bailout