The Cold Beat- Dumbwaiter (Self Released)
Having been born and raised in the Twin Cities, I naturally grew quite fond of The Replacements pretty early on. Probably one of the most underrated bands ever, the Replacements went from a slapdash garage band to one of the most influential outfits to ever record music. With that said, anytime I hear a band influenced by the Mats I'm interested in hearing it.
So when I got the press sheet with this disc and it stated The Cold Beat were unapologetically Replacements influenced, I immediately threw it in. Not unlike mid-period Replacements, when the guys were actually playing their instruments with skill and moving away from the straight up brashness of their early records, The Cold Beat play powerful, gritty, fun punk n roll, the sort of music you're likely to hear emanating from the basement of a drunken house party or someone's garage on a sunday afternoon.
Dumbwaiter is the kind of disc you'll like on the first listen and play repeatedly all day. Catchy, impassioned, vibrant rock with punk roots and a flair for unforgettable harmonies, riffs and choruses. This is hands down the best thing I've heard all year; Paul Westerberg would have to be impressed with these Boston rockers- amazing!
