Hammerlock--Compromise Is For Cowards
Steel Cage 2003
Throughout their recorded history, Hammerlock have never let the listener down. Each of their efforts have proven to be all-time classics. With their new album, Compromise Is For Cowards, that streak of musical excellence remains intact. Here, Hammerlock have managed to improve upon all the elements they incorporate into their sound, blend those pieces even better than before, and introduce some new things which add a greater sense of depth to the overall result. It's no easy feat but, as usual, Hammerlock pull it off in a way that seems effortless.
For those unacquainted with the Hammerlock sound (and just where the hell have you been), this band plays a blend of punk, country & western, rock 'n roll, and Southern rock. There are many bands who've tread a similar path but none of them have done it nearly as well as Hammerlock. In fact, on Compromise Is For Cowards, Hammerlock have further widened the gap between themselves and the rest of the pack. On this album, where the rocking is brutal, that brutality is turned up several notches higher than before--when the country twang shines through, it is now blinding. Essentially, Hammerlock have managed to merge the rawness of their last album, Barefoot & Pregnant, with the I-can't-believe-it-isn't-on-every-radio-in-the-world hookiness of the amazing Anthem For Outlaws album, sharpening both halves in the process. A good deal of this can be attributed to the rock solid timekeeping of new drummer Mikey Kingshill--this is the tightest Hammerlock have sounded since Anthems For Outlaws.
Of course, the thing that has always made Hammerlock better than every other band of their ilk is the ability to write consistently great songs. Compromise Is For Cowards boasts the best batch of Hammerlock tunes yet. This disc starts off with the sonic beatdown of "Hate Is Not A Crime." That rough hewn ferocity continues on such tracks as "Government Worker." "40 Lbs" keeps the rocking quotient high, though in a more laid back way. This song is kicked off by Travis Kenney's great whiskey-drenched bellow and boasts some nice cowbell breaks. In terms of the country & western leaning material, "Looking For Cans To Buy A Cold One" is the highlight. With its great, verging on poetic, working class warrior lyrics, and "hit single" appeal, this one is an instant classic. "Mickey Free" is another song begging for the "classic" tag, though it sounds different than anything else the band has ever done thanks to a peculiar and dark sounding chord progression. Speaking of different sounds, Hammerlock even incorporate keys into a couple of numbers, "California Highway" and "Houston, Dallas, San Antone." In fact, on "Houston, Dallas, San Antone" (a cover of the David Allan Coe song), Hammerlock manage to cultivate a vibe not unlike that of the mellower portion of early/non-suck Rolling Stones, while still managing to sound like themselves. Incredible.
Without question, you will not get this amalgam of styles any better in 2004 (or any other year, for that matter) than you will on Compromise Is For Cowards. The only chance this album has of ever getting topped is when Hammerlock finally go in to cut the follow up release. If you haven't hopped onboard before now, shame on you. Hammerlock are one of the best bands ever and you need all their albums, especially Compromise Is For Cowards. Another essential disc from these Coors swilling outlaws. Still the kings (and queen), just somehow moreso.
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