Clowns For Progress

Progress (Last Beat)
by Scott Hefflon

Punk rock, as in both punk and rock. New York’s Clowns for Progress just got harder, yet still work in the melodies of their Flipside debut. What I find odd is an almost David Lee Rothian intonation I’d never noticed before. Sure, Deano Jones has vibrato and rock-out vocals (especially noticeable when punctuated by a slide guitar riff, a freakin’ harmonica, and a honky-tonk piano), but I never thought I’d reference Diamond Dave in a post-punk rock review after Nerf Herder. Much of the hard rock infusion could be credited to new guitarist Brad Goop, formerly of the Goops. Brad’s riffing, when matched with a Knacky drum roll, or Billy Idolish “Whooaw!,” is timeless rock through and through. With 15 songs totaling 50 minutes, you get the feeling CFP write total songs, not merely the catchy snippets so many bands these days call songs. Each combines verses, choruses, bridges, intros, extros, and always has at least one “huh?” Whether it be the aforementioned harmonica or piano, or perhaps a sample here, a ska interlude there, a little Springsteen-esque riff, or whatever, each song on Progress has an oddball element guaranteed to entertain. MM Bosstone Dicky Barrett’s gruff vocals on Neil Diamond’s “Cherry Cherry” blend with Deano’s croon wonderfully. This is a track you’ll be puttin’ on that beach party mixed tape you’ve been itchin’ to finish. “Cherry, baby!” Closing with “Saturn Rain,” CFP end with what perhaps could be a new beginning. Almost crackling and popping like an old blues record, Deano’s voice filtered and Johnny T’s drums beat-boxed and looping backwards on itself, Brad’s guitar weeping on and on like tripadelic Beatles, and it all winds down and fades out in TV static and synthetic thunder, the way all good albums should.