DESPITE ALL THIS:
Spring Tour Demo: CD
For one reason or another, I find myself very standoff-ish in the face of new folk punk bands. I don’t know what it is. I think my adolescent punk rock aversion to hippies is perhaps too deeply engrained. Anyway, I had pretty much decided I didn’t like this about fifteen seconds into the first song. Luckily, I kept listening and reading along and ended up immediately restarting this totally charming record. I can’t put my finger on why exactly, but Despite All This reminds me very much of early D.B.S. (Lynn Valley, Canada’s favorite sons, not Death By Stereo). There’s something very youthful and endearing about these songs, both lyrically and musically. TBIAPB or D’OH comparisons would be easy, but I think there’s actually something cooler than that going on here. Really great. –Dave Williams (Self-released, no address)