Daddy Black Boots

Sticker (Ripcord)
by Chaz Thorndike

Beginning with a funky lil’ intro and a laugh that’d make the Joker look fearfully over his shoulder, Daddy Black Boots begins the 18 song release with sonic equivalent of a kick to the head. Blending styles we’ve all come to know, not to mention styles to which we slam into people we know, DBB takes the groove of Stickmen, the vocal sarcasm (sans screams) of Sam Black Church, and adds in the choppy start/stops of Stompbox. And yet, Daddy Black Boots stays original. They use a much funkier bass than any of the aforementioned heavies, and Shawn Winslow’s deep, rich voice carries admirably in either tough guy roar or snarling Zodiac Mindwarpish audacity. Yeah, so they’re basically a post-grunge stompcore metal band from Maine, but, ya know, they have a number of moments when they transcend the ‘tude oriented quagmire and express themselves in an interesting innovative way. A new take on an old style, and yes, I’m sure they rock live.