“Life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns,” explains vocalist Grant Tchekmeian about the new album Salt to Taste by Suck Brick Kid. This album contains all the evidence you need to support that statement. While the melodies might be infectious enough to make you pogo, the lyrics of this album lean more toward the salt mentioned in the album title.
The best punk songs have always been easy to sing along with, and the band gives you one of those with “Sofa King”. Even the first time through, don’t be surprised if you sing the hook at the top of your lungs. And yes, it’s distinctly possible that it will be in your car and you will upset the old lady next to you. That’s rock n roll, baby. Not only that, but it’s such a catchy tune that you might find yourself listening to it repeatedly and singing all of the lyrics as loud as you can.
The prevailing theme on the album seems to be navigating the end of a relationship – even if you wouldn’t know it from the song titles. For example, “Granola Cereal Clusters” is probably the most savage song on the album. It might sound like it’s something for hippies, but the lyrics are delivered like a punch to the sternum followed by a chop to the neck.
Along the same lines, you might be misled when you see the song title “I Hate U2”. At first glance, you might think it’s an anthem that shows opposition to Bono and The Edge. That would be an equally entertaining song, but this one is about the other partner in a relationship gone bad. How do you know? Well, at some point, the lyrics declare, “The lowest point in my life was you.” Frankly, that probably stings more than a diss track about U2.
Throughout the album, the band shows tendencies toward Dropkick Murphys. For example, the backing vocals in “How the West Was Lost” and “Get Even” both bring the Boston stalwarts to mind. At other times the band is reminiscent of a more vocally raucous version of ALL. There is also some vocal similarity to Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio.
There’s no real mystery to this album, but you don’t always need mystery. Sometimes you just need sound and fury, and this album delivers both in healthy doses. In fact, the fury in the lyrics make you glad you weren’t the other person involved in the relationship that inspired some of the songs on the album.
