SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DREADNOUGHTS – POLKA PIT

THE DREADNOUGHTS
POLKA PIT
PUNKERTON RECORDS

Vancouver folk-punks The Dreadnoughts, now based in New York, are soaked in “blood, sweat, and beer” on their latest full-length, Polka Pit. On this wild ship ride of an album, the term folk-punk doesn’t quite do them justice – even the band’s own tags on Bandcamp are varied: cluster folk, cider punk, polka punk, klezmer, sea shanty.

The title track opens the album with a rousing blend of distorted guitars backing up traditional folk instruments such as accordion and fiddle. “Polka Pit” is the definition of polka punk. But don’t let this song set your expectations for the rest of the album.

What follows is a collection of songs that range from a punk rock polka party to a seaside murder ballad. Tracks like “Dark Sleeper” and “Dirge (for Neomar Lander)” are instrumental and showcase the musicians’ chops. “Luang Prabang” highlights the impressive vocal harmonies of the band, with the only instrumentation being a drumbeat. “Hungarian Dance” morphs into a remarkable version of Vivaldi’s “Winter” from The Four Seasons, with building violin and distorted guitars. The more upbeat tracks such as “Tarantella Bang Boom” and “The I’m Gonna Fight Jim’s Girlfriend Polka” feature the band’s signature catchy singalong choruses and punk rock attitude.

With certainty, Polka Pit is a crowning achievement of storytelling, exceptional musicianship, and more than a dash of booze-drenched fun.

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