Should Punk Rock ever lead to growing up? Such is the quandary that the aging delinquents of Dillinger Four have been silently pondering.
Sure, the Minneapolis-bred gang of four still slings dozens of hooks and has some tongue-in-cheek moments, but the package feels kind of somber. For as fiery as Dillinger is now, nothing will ever top “Doublewhiskeycokenoice,” a fire-starting prize penned back in 1998. In under two and a half minutes, the chips-all-in sing-along invokes cult writer Nelson Algren, soul savant Otis Redding and this proclamation: “Praise God and pass the bottle of Beam/Because tonight I can’t seem to say what I mean/Don’t know if I would, even if I could, Amen.” Basement anthems have never been more sublime.
They bring their anthems to the Mad Hatter with Japanther, The Dopamines and Loudmouth. Get Sound Advice here.
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2009.