Throw Back: Three Day Threshold “Straight Out of the Barrel” Album Review
As we come off the high of the St. Paddy’s Day weekend debauchery, and back into this mess we call New England weather, I would like to grace you with a throw back. And there is no better band to throw back to after this weekend than the one and only, Three Day Threshold…
When you talk about country, punk, celtic, or Americana music in Boston it’s hard to not think of Three Day Threshold. Kier Byrnes may very well be the Godfather of the genre in this city (kiss the ring, folks), taking many young local artists under his wing, tossing them a gig, giving them a write up in Noise, or just providing input on how to get “out there”. No matter how you slice it, the band has left a lasting mark on the city of Boston, and show no sign of slowing down soon. ‘Straight Out Of The Barrel’ is the bands fourth studio album and provides all the energy and gusto you would expect from the band on a record or at a live show.
With a revolving cast of characters over the years, this release features Kier Byrnes on vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin and harp; John Stump on bass; P.J. Aspesi on drums; Zac Taylor on guitars, and Evan Gavry on dobro/steel/banjo. Three Day Threshold’s sound has just as much variety as its long list of previous contributors. A little bit country, a lotta bit rock n’ f’ing roll, and that hint of celtic charm make these boys, and this record, one you should have been spinning all weekend long (if you didn’t go out and see them live at the 18 in-a-row gigs they usually put forth this time of year).
The opening track “Whisky River” displays a definitive confidence in lead singer, Kier Byrnes’ voice, a certain relaxed conviction that is seemingly missing from a lot of singers these days. A nice melodic mandolin line runs over the ringing guitar parts and the drums and bass are keeping time like pros. I can see them playing this tune as an encore to a sold out crowd at the Paradise and everyone singing along.
The raucous track “My Favorite Titty Bar,” shows off the bands ability to take a humorous (slightly blue humored…ok, really blue humored) topic, back it with Byrne’s gruff vocal, toss in some shit-kicking guitar licks and a great rhythm section and rock so hard it will make your grandma get up and start two stepping.
“Jim Beam” has a great story behind it as the fellas met up with the master distillers of the bourbon company and had a grand old time from what I have heard. The song itself is a mid-tempo dance around the barn floor with your lady and has a MEAN whistle solo right in the middle. Sweet but with a little bite, just like it’s brown liquor namesake.
Each and every one of the eleven songs on this work show the bands punk-a-billy influences, blending a variety of different genres into one that I am pretty sure they invented and have blown up to epic proportions over the last decade (or so). There is no slowing down for 3DT, and that just lets me know that all is right with the Boston music scene.
