Album Review - Cracktown - Songs in the Key of Fuck Off (Pure West) By Steve Rudd - With the Knighthood Ceremony Video!

This gloriously outspoken Hull-based outfit revolves around the musical and lyrical talents of, err.. Silver Fox and King Rat?!?!!!!! Mmm - so says the CD cover! I don't honestly know why the two guys who shield their identities under the murky guise of Cracktown don't want their real names to be known because they sure don't have anything at all to be ashamed of.

To the contrary, their music is some of the most hectically exciting, socially-cutting and technically breathtaking that is going down right now in Hull, as this 12-track, 45-minute album of storming acoustic-based songs maintains.

Kicking off - in their own individual style - as they mean to progress, with their tongue-in-cheek-folk-punk-rock-rap sound, Charlton Heston crazily darts forth courtesy of its speedy chord progressions, hearty blasts of mouth organ and swathes of deliciously gruff-yet-soulful vocals. All the tracks are highly charged with folk-punk-rock leanings. The lyrics are cutting and may cause offence, but there is nothing said that isn't true, and one of the best tracks by far is the anti-patriotic and lyrically amazing Best of British: Why wave a fucking flag? There's nothing worth defending.

I despise some bands when they flippantly ignore the virtues of having gut-wrenching and heart-stirringly honest and thought-provoking lyrics. Many bands assume that it's only the music that matters, but if the band literally doesn't have anything to say to its audience then - fundamentally - what is the point? Music can exist and inspire on its own emotion-reflecting terms, but a great lyric can be worth more than a thousand wicked guitar hooks.

And that is one of the greatest aspects of Cracktown's upfront musings (spitting out some great lyrics, that is), with N.W.O. (that's short for New World Order) being one of the catchiest tunes: exquisitely sung and played in mock Dylan style. You never know quite what their next song is going to be about or in what kind of musical style.

For example, one minute Alien Invasion invades good humour as a mad party anthem in best Sack Trick fashion (People of Earth.. we DO NOT come in peace!), before the pure Country music vibes of Suicide Lifesick Blues. Cracktown's songs magically flit between being politically motivated and disgruntled and being hilariously funny, and nearly all tunes are outstanding for their cleverly catchy and harmonious choruses.

I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow finishes the album off well and good, and bearing in mind that The Beautiful South also hailed from Hull, Cracktown's songs - when at their most solemn - could be quite believably sung by their frontman Paul Heaton, should he really be on the down and out and still drowning his sorrows come last orders at the Liar's Bar.

For their scathing honesty and refreshing wit when it counts, the men that make up Cracktown deserve to be knighted.

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