DEAD MEN WALKING – FREEDOM, IT AIN’T ON THE RISE
Dead Men Walking were founded in 2001 by Kirk (Theatre of Hate, Spear of Destiny) Brandon and Mike (Alarm, Coloursound) Peters. Over the years the line-up has included members of Wah!, The Pistols, Cult, Stray Cats, Big Country, Damned and more. The current line-up, is Brandon, Jake (Stiff Little Fingers) Burns along with Dave Ruffy and Segs of Ruts DC.
Recorded in lock-down - Burns at home in Chicago, the other three in London, this is all acoustic. Among four originals (Dorothy, Man Down, Blame, Bittersweet), the album dips into the back catalogues of the protagonists. Ruts are represented by Kill The Pain, Staring At The Rude Boys and Boy. There’s SLF’s Guilty As Sin, My Dark Places and Wasted Life. TOH/SOD contribute The Price, Slave and Never Take Me Alive.
This album won’t change the world, strong as the songs and the performances are, but maybe that isn’t the point. Compared to the quartet’s main bands, this is a relatively easy listen. The acoustic treatment weakens the impact of a couple of songs but, somehow, it strengthens others. Boy reduced me to tears. For this long term SLF fan, My Dark Places and Wasted Life are the most striking versions that I have heard. And those new originals are corkers.
7/10
