Dead Freddie – Dead Freddie – Album Review

Active in the Chicago-area pop-punk scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s, back then they went by the moniker, Dead Freddie Band, and branded themselves as Chicago’s Punk-Pop Phenomenon.

Fast-forward forty years, several iterations of the band (which included a slight tweak to their name, dropping “Band” and going with the simple, Dead Freddie), and when the dust settled it left a current makeup which includes: Gintas Buinevicius (drums, guitar, backing vocals), Gary Vacha (guitar, backing vocals), Karl Sperling (bass guitar, backing vocals), Sam Steagerman (trombone, backing vocals) and Donatas Ramanauskas (lead vocals, punk accordion).

Following up the 2016 EP, If I Knew What I Wanted, is their eclectic and spirited full length self-titled LP, Dead Freddie.

HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…

Opening this raucous affair is, Cliche, a throwback punk piece that immediately feels like the Ramones cut a track with early-era Green Day. Donatas Ramanauskas’s delivery is confident and on point and displays a veteran punk character. The track is total fun and has crossover appeal to those who think they don’t like punk…

“When Jesus comes again he’ll have his hair greased back
And all of the children will be ready to attack
They’ll pull out Grandpa’s Maltese Cross
And then they’ll really sing ‘cause they felt the loss
Every day is so cliché, every day is so cliché…”

High-octane horns and guitars create a gloriously goofy tribute to S&M’ers everywhere in, When I’m Bound, which has a very Goldfinger-esque energy to it.

OUR FAVORITE TRACK… An endearing and youthful tale of young co-eds long ago, the contrast between the acoustic guitars and the punk melody in, Going To The Dance, has a distinct Tarantino soundtrack vibe to it. It’s our favorite on the album.

Classic, minimalist pop-punk in, She Won’t Play House, creates a killer break-up track with just enough spunk to make you chuckle as you leave your lover (love the claps in the chorus)…

“I got my ducks lined in a row
It seems this tear’s too big to sew
And if I could I would keep driving down this road
But what’s the point when it’s all about to explode
She won’t play house…”

Digging the tone and panning in Cartoon Woman’s nostalgic solo at 1:40.

OUR “OTHER” FAVORITE TRACK… The left-field acoustic ending in, Save Me From Myself, gives us a substantive glimpse into the depth of Freddie. However, this melancholy piece of nostalgic regret is not a downer, it’s simply telling the story as it is…

“But all I do is hide inside
As my heroes stand in mirrors and search for truth
And those aware pretend to care and steal from my youth
You’re not talking about my generation anymore…”

IN CONCLUSION…
A totality of fun. Wildly enthusiastic. Perfectly and wonderfully verbose. A talented brand of cross-over punk. Dead Freddie’s self titled album offers both the fun and the skill, the humor and the jam, the accordion and the guitar! In this 12-track nod to pop-punk, this group has not only created a wildly creative collection of multi-rock-genre songs, they’ve executed said songs in a charismatic and professional manner.

Excellent performance credits. Engaging writing. Pro-level production. And, let’s not overlook Ramanauskas’s Bowie-esque timbre and absolutely non-weathered ability to front this high energy bunch. In sum, what we have here is a punk-lover’s dream, particularly for those who love slightly nuanced jams which are slightly left or right of center. Give Dead Freddie a listen below.

WHOSE LOVECHILD…?
David Bowie meets Goldfinger…

BELOW: Check out our full artist interview with Dead Freddie, listen to their album, Dead Freddie, connect with their website and social media platforms, watch their music video, check out their live show/tour schedule, and find their booking & contact information. Please support Dead Freddie by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!