Dirt Byrds - This Country

    

  There's occasions when you like a band and you'll enjoy their music but then all of a sudden they tweak their sound, maybe undergo a personnel change and then all of a sudden they put out a new record that surpasses all that has gone before and knocks your socks off. 

  Ladies and gentlemen, one such band are Dirt Byrds (https://www.facebook.com/dirtrockhq) 

  They're a 3 piece from Bangor (Northern Ireland, not Wales as I once mistakenly said on the show) who line up thus; Keith Farr, John McLachlan & Chipper Robinson. To be fair to them, they were already blowing Ralph's socks off last year when he enthused about them on here (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/12/dirt-byrds-blame-guest-review-by-ralph.html). Now, in my opinion, they've made a great leap forward. You can check out their earlier releases here :  https://dirtbyrds.bandcamp.com/

  The new release is an album titled Dirt. It's a dozen tracks and the band's intention was to make a record that "sounds like a banging demo rather than a polished studio track, it’s a street punk song after all." They succeeded. 

  Dirt sounds great and the songs, written by Keith Farr who wrote songs for Belfast legends Runnin Riot, are timeless classics. There's times when listening to it that you could swear you were listening to outtakes from the sessions for Inflammable Material. Topics covered include refusing to be downtrodden, seaside riots, elections being a waste of time, the battle of Cable Street and parasitic politicians. Definitely an album of the year contender, it's available via Dammit Records on cd and digital download : https://dammitrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dirt

  This is the opening track and sets us up nicely for the rest of a barnstorming listen. It's called This Country...

At home you’re told to grow up, don’t talk back do as you’re told, When you leave school we’ll work you until your dead, But I don’t really see these things that way I don’t want to hate and I don’t wanna kill Mama I don’t want your fears put into me. 

Come on people who’ve had enough Fuck your governments and fuck your laws! This country this country, this country has failed us This country, this country has failed you and me. Just take a look around your own street, The defeated faces of those who’ve give in, Give em Prozac or just give us death!! And if you you think about it we aint got no rights I can’t refuse a job if I don’t want to There’s no freedom for people like you and me!!  

I’m waiting for the people to shout” we want governments out And the head of politicians put on a spike!!