One of the best things about writing reviews is that I get to be the first to hear a lot of cool, new music. And via that blessing, I get to tell you about these bands you haven’t heard, but really need to. Case in point: Roll the Tanks, a four piece whose newest album Broke til Midnight is one of the best things your ear holes are gonna have stuffed into them this year.

"24th and Buckets” is a solid opening track, setting the expectationsseriously high for what is to come. Bright, vibrant guitar work contrasts sharply with the darker subject at hand. With lines like "on 24th and Buckets, locals discuss heroin,” you’ll find yourself tapping your toes along with this tale of the downtrodden hoping for something better. It’s a method used throughout this album to great effect. The title track, derived from when you spend the night drinking and can’t pay your tab til the paycheck clears at midnight, is reminiscent of some the best work The Clash ever did. A bold comparison? The guys in the band make no secret of their admiration and I’d like think the members of the only band that matters would definitely be fans. The writing is smart and tight, the music upbeat and catchy as hell. You’ll be singing along after no doubt hitting repeat over and over.

For as much as it is a lesson in musical history (this is clearly a band that has much love for the earliest era of punk and the sounds that influenced and shaped it), it is also a charge for the future. The bar is set staggeringly high, and Roll the Tanks intends to meet that challenge head on. If Broke til Midnight is any indication, the future is bright indeed.

(ForTheLoveOfPunk.com review)

To Hear 24TH & BUCKETS Click Here