Album Review: Nine Rows of Teeth

Storm Weather Shanty Choir is one of the Godfathers of pirate music in Europe. This is their 21st year as a band and the fact that they are still putting out new music has to be commended. Their influence is not just in Europe however, I know a great many American bands who style their music after SWSC so their touch is truly worldwide. This is their ninth album and we are very excited to give it a listen.

A reminder on how we do reviews on the show. I write my thoughts here as I listen to the album; in a sense what you’re reading is a stream of thought from yours truly. I am in no way qualified to give my opinion but as the Proprietor of the Inn I do feel duty bound to do reviews of the bands, for the bands and for our listeners as well. I also don’t appear to have a set way in how I do these reviews so expect track name, thoughts, and a score. At the end the scores are averaged to get the overall rating.

Saucy Sailor: I am immediately taken in by the deep vocal with the lone guitar. As each vocal is added it gives it a unique feel you don’t often see. This is the kind of song to get your attention at the start of an album. As it goes on, I don’t know why, but there’s this Zeppelin quality the song has that I really dig. What a way to start an album. 5

Fish in the Sea: If Sailor set the mood for the album, this may set the tone. Strong percussion and a grabs your face and yells at it is the best I could describe. You can’t help but nod your head to the beat. I’m not sure if I can remember a SWSC song that had such strong percussion; it’s borderline the kind of drums you get from the modern bagpipe bands. Great stuff. 5

Hog Eye: That mood and tone continues on with Hog Eye. Now I wasn’t that familiar with Hog Eye until this year but my lord, I think I’ve played this more than any other song this year. It has the percussion from Fish with the guitar from Sailor. This is a band who know how to arrange an album. It’s as if Sailor and Fish had a perfect little baby. I cannot get enough of this song. 5

Randy Dandy-O: We slow things down with some lovely guitar with Randy; an almost Spanish guitar feel. A bit more melancholy version Randy than you usually hear, which is an interesting take. Make no mistake, the style does not mean the song isn’t in your face. Captivated by the guitar all through the song. 4

Haul Away Your Anchor: The first of the two “long songs” on the album. After 4 straight in your face songs, a good place to have something slower, allowing you to catch your breath. It does feel a bit outside from what has come before for a good minute and a half, and I’m not sure it works for that length. While it is a beautiful rendition of Haul Away I’m not quite sure about the placement. The speed and ambience has that end of album feel. Also, for whatever reason, I am taking to Interstellar. I have no rhyme or reason for it, that’s just where my head went. 3

Fire Down Below: We come back to the percussion and guitar that are the staples of this album. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a version of Fire Down Below like this. This feels completely original in their arraignment and a bit unexpected. I am a bit taken aback by this, was not expecting this at all; which is always a welcome sight. 4

Jim Jones in Botany Bay: Dueling guitars almost to start off, but with the length of the song it may just be instrumental. I guess the best I can do with it is it’s fine. Don’t hate it but am wondering why? 2

Roll the Woodpile Down: Now we’re back to they mood and tone this album has been mainlining. Now unlike Fire this is a very recognizable version of Woodpile; a bit Dreadnoughts I think. I can see people hearing this live stomping their feet and clapping, singing along, great crowd song. 3

Shallow Brown: A beautiful melancholy vocal to begin once again, appropriate for the subject matter of the lyrics. You get the sorrow of the story in the vocals, a great shanty by the guys. I think this song does a solid job of showing the band understand how to arrange them to work for the song. 4

Haul Away, Joe (Live): Always an interesting tactic to add live songs to an album, but for this track, it works. You hear what I was talking about in Roll, the audience singing along and stamping with the band. I think this is also a smart move to show that the band is not just a shanty band with great harmony due to the studio; they are that good. Lots of energy and as a bonus you get that feel of a show. 4

The Doomsday Tune (Gorrlaus): We once again have dueling guitars as we had on Jim Jones. I think this one works a bit better but again it feels mostly filler. However I do dig this tune a bit more than Jim Jones. 3

Farewell Lovely Nancy: We come to the conclusion and our second long song. I think the guitars are a great start to another somber song, though I don’t get the melancholy feel as I have with others. It’s more determined, resolved, than of sadness. Which of course is exactly what the song is trying to convey so it’s a welcome take that you don’t always get. If I have one complaint, I would have flipped this and Haul Away in the album order. 4

If there is one thing I can say that this album does is that it shows the understanding of songs that Storm Weather Shanty Choir have. Vocally they are able to convey the appropriate emotion that the original song was meant for and folks that is a rare talent. Understanding the source material and the thought behind it is a rare talent and it shines in this album. It also has one of the strongest starts to an album that we’ve seen in some time.