[rating=9.00]
Grab a thirty rack of Pabst, a liter of cheap whisky, and call up the boys because “New York City’s favorite hard-workin’ rock n’ roll band” Dirty Fences is back and ready to party down. Goodbye Love, the group’s third studio album and follow-up to 2015’s Full Tramp finds the Brooklyn-based rabble rousers kicking their gritty, streetwise bar rock into overdrive as they sound more compact and rambunctious than ever. The collection of twelve punchy songs blazes by, with most averaging between the two and three minute mark, but it’s chock full of sleazy solos, chunky guitar riffing, and catchy choruses. It’s exactly what you might expect from a group whose fans are known for expressing their approval by peppering the band with empty beer cans during their live sets.
Goodbye Love takes off like a bat outta hell with “All You Need Is A Number”, a rollicking tune that brings to mind fellow party rockers like Motley Crue for its celebratory, good time feel, and Thin Lizzy for its soaring lead guitar lines. The call and response style chorus is well suited for drunken, barroom sing-a-longs, making it a great addition to any dingy dive bar jukebox. “Teen Angel”, the first single and fifth track from the album is another high-speed ride. Set to a quivering teen beat laid down by drummer Max Hiersteiner, the infectious number is laden with explosive fills from Dirty Fences’ dueling axemen. Downshifting in tempo briefly, the Fences cruise through the Rubinoos meets Replacements power pop of “Never Over” before going into full-on Ramones mode with the bubblegum punk of “I Can’t Sleep At Night”. “Message For Anyone” perfectly walks the line between danceable and moshable and is quite possibly the catchiest track off an album with its fair share of pop sensibility. The relentlessly paced album closes on a slightly more restrained note with the sixties style power ballad “One More Step”. Sheer Mag’s Christina Halladay joins in for the duet and delivers a walloping vocal track, pushing the tune into Shannon and The Clams territory.
Dirty Fences know a thing or two about having a good time and Goodbye Love has all the ingredients that make up a great party record: its fast, singable, and loud as hell.
